SpaceX spacecraft carrying cannabis seeds crashes into the ocean

A scientific experiment designed to test the strength of the cannabis seeds in space ended in spectacular failure this week when the re-entry capsule crashed into the ocean instead of landing as planned. As a result, a valuable payload—including about 150 seeds housed in a biological incubator—is now considered beyond repair.

Launched aboard a rocket SpaceX, the capsule also contained the ashes of more than 160 people, which were briefly sent into orbit as part of a commemorative flight organized by Celestis. However, the parachute failed to deploy properly during reentry, resulting in the loss of all the contents.

«Following this unforeseen event, we do not believe we will be able to recover or bring the flight capsules back on board,» Celestis said, as quoted by Gizmodo.

Why send cannabis in space ?

Behind this mission lies Martian Grow, an initiative led by a Slovenian Božidar Radišič from Research Nature Institute. Their goal? To understand how the extreme conditions of orbit—microgravity, cosmic radiation, environmental stress—can influence the cannabis genetics.

The seeds had been placed in an incubator named MayaSat-1, designed to measure the effects of spaceflight on their development. The stakes were high: to explore the possibility of using cannabis as multifunctional resource at future lunar or Martian bases.

«Sooner or later, we’ll have lunar bases, and cannabis, with its versatility, is the ideal plant to supply these projects,» Radišič explained to WIRED. «It can be a source of food, protein, building materials, textiles, hemp, plastic, and medicine.»

Far from being merely a futuristic fantasy, the experiment was designed to study specific parameters: sheet size, root structure, photosynthesis rate, chlorophyll content, water use… all of which are indicators that could reveal the adaptability of the cannabis in extraterrestrial environments.

«The goal is to study how—and whether—cosmic conditions affect the genetics of cannabis, and we may not know the answer until several generations have passed,» Radišič explained.

If the cannabis plants Although they are known for their resistance to UV rays and radiation, growing them in space remains a complex challenge. In 2020, hemp fabrics and coffee had been sent to the International Space Station, but the results of that mission have still not been made public.

Cultivation conditions in microgravity are far from being fully understood. Extreme temperatures, nutrient deficiencies, and the absence of gravity: growing a plant in space implies a controlled environment at 100 %.

«We will have to adapt to the Martian environment and gradually adapt our plants so that they can survive,» says Petra Knaus, CEO of Genoplant, a company that develops technologies for space agriculture. «For now, this will only be possible in a closed container that provides the right conditions.»

The failure of this mission therefore raises crucial questions about logistics, the reliability of equipment, and the investments needed to achieve such an ambition. The lessons learned from this failed mission may serve as the foundation for more robust protocols for future experiments. In science, failure is never the end—it’s often a stepping stone!