For Costa Rica's Introduction in ISS-Based Space Agriculture
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
San José, Costa Rica and Colorado, USA – June 3, 2025
Jaguar Space and University of Costa Rica Join Forces to Promote Space-Driven Agricultural Innovation
San José, Costa Rica and Colorado, USA – June 3, 2025 — Jaguar Space, a pioneering space company based in Colorado, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Universidad de Costa Rica to collaborate on agricultural research with a space-based perspective. This partnership sets the stage for Costa Rican researchers and students to explore space as a new frontier for agricultural science.
The collaboration centers around native crops of high cultural and economic significance in Costa Rica— sweet pepper and tomato. These staples not only play a central role in the country’s cuisine but also represent key elements in its rich agricultural heritage and scientific development by the improvement of disease-resistance strains. Jaguar Space will provide expertise and support to explore how space-based research can deepen our understanding of these important crops.
This agreement underscores a shared commitment to empowering emerging space nations through science and education. Jaguar Space and Universidad de Costa Rica aim to open new pathways for sustainable innovation, connecting local agricultural strengths with the global push toward space exploration.
The partnership is part of a broader effort to understand how spaceflight—specifically microgravity— affects seed biology, resilience, and genetic expression. The research will explore how unique environmental conditions in low Earth orbit might activate new biological pathways in these culturally significant crops, offering insights for both space agriculture and sustainable farming on Earth.
Integrating crops native to emerging space nations is essential for building a future of sustainable human presence beyond Earth. These collaborations advance nutritional diversity, preserve cultural identity, and create new scientific pathways. Jaguar Space takes pride in enabling this progress and empowering the next generation of scientists and explorers across emerging space nations.
For more information on the collaboration or media inquiries, please contact: contact@JaguarSpace.net.
About Jaguar Space
Jaguar Space is a bioastronautics and business consulting firm dedicated to advancing science and commerce in space. The company leverages a unique combination of expertise in space science, engineering, project management, cross-cultural affairs, and business development to help its customers reach their goals faster and more effectively. https://jaguarspace.net/
About UCR
The University of Costa Rica is a constitutionally autonomous and democratic institution of higher education and culture, dedicated to teaching, research, social action, study, meditation, artistic creation, and the dissemination of knowledge. Its purpose is to contribute to the transformations that society needs for the common good, through a policy aimed at achieving social justice, equity, integral development, full freedom, and the complete independence of our people.
They Unite to Launch World-First Cultural Crop Space Payload
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Berlin, Germany and Colorado, USA – May 29, 2025
The Karman Project and Jaguar Space Unite to Launch World-First Cultural Crop Payload to the ISS
Berlin, Germany and Colorado, USA – May 29, 2025 — Jaguar Space has joined forces with The Karman Project in a multinational collaboration that brings together Armenia, Egypt, Nigeria, and Pakistan under a shared vision: to connect cultural heritage and scientific inquiry through space-based agricultural research.
The mission centers on seeds of historical and cultural significance - Egyptian cotton, Armenian pomegranate, Nigerian egusi melon, and Pakistani wheat. These plants, integral to national identities and economies, will be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) for a multi-day stay in microgravity, before returning to Earth for continued research and public engagement.
By studying how these culturally meaningful crops respond to spaceflight, the project aims to deepen understanding of seed resilience and plant biology in extreme environments - knowledge critical for both long-duration space missions and Earth-based challenges such as climate change, food insecurity, and resource scarcity.
This effort draws on the strengths of The Karman Project’s global network of space leaders - spanning over 70 countries - and Jaguar Space’s expertise in bioastronautics. United by a commitment to equitable access to space, the partners opened the opportunity to emerging space nations within the Karman Community. Payload allocations were awarded via a competitive process, with each selected country making a compelling case for inclusion. The national experiments are led by Karman Community Members Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stepanian (Armenia), Sara Sabry (Egypt), Temidayo Oniosun (Nigeria) and Mahhad Nayyer (Pakistan).
Additional contributions to the broader mission come from partners in seven other countries, including the Maldives Space Research Organisation, following a 2023 Karman delegation to support island nations in adopting space-based solutions.
“Our organizations share not only a strong vision for the future, but a strong history, with Jaguar Space’s founder Dr. Luis Zea having been selected for the Karman Fellowship in 2023,” said Hannah Ashford, Managing Director of The Karman Project. “This mission reflects the action-oriented spirit of our Fellowship - empowering our community to lead impactful projects across borders and build a more inclusive space future.”
Reflecting on the importance of the mission, Dr. Luis Zea, Founder of Jaguar Space, added: “Integrating crops native to emerging space nations is essential for building a sustainable human presence beyond Earth. These collaborations advance nutritional diversity, preserve cultural identity, and open new scientific frontiers. Jaguar Space is proud to enable this progress and support the next generation of global space explorers.”
Payloads are currently being prepared for integration and launch to the ISS, with mission details to be announced shortly. For more information on the collaboration or media inquiries, please contact: contact@JaguarSpace.net.
About Jaguar Space
Jaguar Space is a bioastronautics and business consulting firm dedicated to advancing science and commerce in space. The company leverages a unique combination of expertise in space science, engineering, project management, cross-cultural affairs, and business development to help its customers reach their goals faster and more effectively.
About The Karman Project
The Karman Project is a global non-profit foundation promoting peace and security in space through international cooperation. The foundation’s unique convening power enables it to bring together public and private sector decision-makers to build common understandings and impactful projects that serve sustainability, education, science, security and capacity building efforts. To date, The Karman Project’s highly curated community of entrepreneurs, astronauts, space executives, researchers, and artists from over 70 nations have initiated projects servicing the immediate needs of more than five million people worldwide. The foundation is headquartered in Berlin, Germany.
Advancing Space Agriculture with Himalayan Crops
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Delhi, India / Colorado, USA – May 27, 2025
India’s Protoplanet and Jaguar Space Partner to Explore Space Agriculture with Himalayan Crops
Bengaluru, India / Colorado, USA – May 27, 2025 — Jaguar Space has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Protoplanet, an Indian space innovation company, to promote collaborative research into agricultural species native to the Indian Himalayas.
The agreement emphasizes the scientific and cultural importance of sea buckthorn and Himalayan tartary—plants known for their resilience, nutritional richness, and traditional uses in Indian communities. Together, Protoplanet and Jaguar Space aim to study how these unique crops respond to spaceflight conditions.
This initiative is part of a broader mission to connect indigenous knowledge and modern science, using space as a platform for innovation and cultural representation.
The collaboration contributes to a growing global research effort aimed at studying how plants from diverse ecosystems respond to microgravity. Jaguar Space is working to understand whether the extreme conditions of space can trigger beneficial traits or enhance plant resilience, with far-reaching benefits for both space exploration and agriculture on Earth.
Integrating crops native to emerging space nations is essential for building a future of sustainable human presence beyond Earth. These collaborations advance nutritional diversity, preserve cultural identity, and create new scientific pathways. Jaguar Space takes pride in enabling this progress and empowering the next generation of scientists and explorers across emerging space nations.
For more information on the collaboration or media inquiries, please contact: contact@JaguarSpace.net.
About Jaguar Space
Jaguar Space is a bioastronautics and space business consulting firm dedicated to advancing science and commerce in space. The company leverages a unique combination of expertise in space science, engineering, project management, cross-cultural affairs, and business development to help its customers reach their goals faster and more effectively.
About Protoplanet
Protoplanet is a Bengaluru-based startup focused on accelerating space exploration training and preparedness for universities, research institutes, industry, and ISRO within the Indian ecosystem. They specialize in developing skills and knowledge for future space missions through tailored programs in microgravity and analogue research.
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