Friends of the Arboretum Lecture

"Astrobotany 101: Earthly Roots, Cosmic Ambitions"
Chad Vanden Bosch, Research Scientist, Redwire Space Technologies

  • Thursday, October 9, 2025 – 6:30 pm–8:00 pm

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What if the future of space travel depended not just on rockets and robotics, but on roots, leaves, and light? From providing oxygen and food to recycling water and waste, plants are essential partners in humanity’s push into the cosmos. But growing plants in space is no small feat. How do you root a seed when there’s no up or down? How do you water a plant when droplets float away?

Chad geared out for some space botany

This talk offers a comprehensive overview of astrobotany—its origins, milestones, current research, and future directions. Along the way we’ll explore the key challenges of growing plants in space, from microgravity to limited resources, and examine the innovative horticultural and engineering strategies used to address them. Whether you’re a researcher or a plant enthusiast, join us as we explore space-based plant science and its critical role in supporting long-duration human spaceflight.

About Chad Vanden Bosch

Chad is a Research Scientist at Redwire Space, where he develops biology payloads and supports a variety of science investigations aboard the International Space Station (ISS). He works closely with NASA and an international community of researchers to grow and study plants in microgravity.

In addition to his role at Redwire, Chad serves as a Plant Physiologist with the Space Agriculture Laboratory Analysis Database (SALAD) team, contributing to the advancement of space-based crop science.

Chad earned his MSc in Space Biology and Plant Physiology from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he conducted research in Dr. Karl Hasenstein’s lab. He holds a BSc in Horticulture from Michigan State University and has professional experience in plant propagation and new product development within the horticultural industry.

Cost
Free for JCRA Members and their guests.
Registration
Advance registration is required since space is limited. Register through our online registration form.
Cancellation
If your plans change and you're not able to attend, please email jcraprograms@ncsu.edu as soon as you know so that we can make your spot available for another member to attend.
Location
Ruby C. McSwain Education Center, JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University, 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Directions
Need directions? Click here.
Parking
Free parking is available at the JC Raulston Arboretum and along Beryl Road.
Questions
Contact the JCRA Education Team at jcraprograms@ncsu.edu for more information about this program.