Food For All Frontiers
We help scientists, educators, and growers push the boundaries of agriculture by testing how plants adapt and thrive beyond Earth.
At Shipshape AgWorks, we’re expanding the possibilities of cultivation—on Earth and in orbit.
Our orbital research investigates genetic adaptation, radiation resilience, and closed-loop carbon cycling in microgravity—exploring how plants respond to extreme conditions and applying those insights to the next generation of sustainable food systems.
Through multiple missions aboard SpaceX’s Dragon capsule under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services program, we study how agricultural seeds respond to the space environment. By observing changes in germination, growth, and metabolic activity, we uncover new pathways for enhancing crop performance and resilience under stress—advances that directly inform terrestrial agriculture.
These experiments drive breakthroughs in nutrient optimization, CO₂ conversion, and autonomous farming—laying the foundation for self-sustaining food networks in low-Earth orbit and more climate-resilient production on Earth.
Beyond research, we engage students in exploring how space-based discoveries connect to sustainable food systems—helping them see that innovation, curiosity, and stewardship can grow together.
What we learn beyond Earth returns to SPARC, where our team translates orbital discoveries into the next generation of Hybrid Agricultural Bases (HABs)—advancing sustainable systems that feed all frontiers.
"Growing plants in space isn’t just science fiction. It forces us to innovate at the highest level, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in agriculture. These discoveries will not only impact future space missions but also help us build more resilient food systems here on Earth."
-Dale Speetjens, CEO and Co-Founder