When the 22nd SpaceX Resupply Mission successfully docked at the International Space Station on June 5, an experiment aimed to help cotton production moved into orbit.

Managed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Botany, with funding from the Target Corporation, the experiment will allow cotton seeds to germinate and grow in space to help provide information on improving cotton for better water and nutrient use.

The ultimate goal of the study is to help reduce cotton’s environmental footprint and provide new data for breeding programs.

You can read the entire story from WUWM 89.7 Milwaukee NPR.