From Soup to Space: Nigerian Space Scientist Dr. Oniosun Makes History With Egusi Space Mission
In a moment that felt both unusual and groundbreaking, history has been made as a seed so cherished across the Nigerian kitchen is now flying all the way to space.
Egusi– a protein-rich white seed , flat and small is now making a big leap into outer space moving from a Nigerian soup that holds a special place in people’s hearts to becoming the first agricultural product from West Africa to be included in a space experiment.
Nigerian space expert, Dr. Temidayo Oniosun, who leads the scientific program as the principal investigator, is the mastermind behind this remarkable scientific initiative.
The first revelation of the space-bound egusi seed was made by the space scientist on July 26, 2025 through his professional network.
Dr. Oniosun disclosed that the iconic melon seed would be aboard NASA resupply mission spacecraft, SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station (ISS) on July 31.
The indigenous melon seed which was specifically sourced from Oyo State, Southwestern Nigeria, will be on board with other indigenously and culturally important seeds from countries such as Egypt, Armenia, and Pakistan, to undergo a scientific study which aimed at understanding crops adaptability to space microgravity. A major lead towards future production of food items in outer space.
Dr. Temidayo Oniosun shared his excitement about the mission on his LinkedIn page, stating: “I am sending Egusi seeds to outer space to assess its suitability for nutritional and functional applications in long-term human space exploration. This is the first time in history seeds from Nigeria will be going to space thanks to @KarmanProject and @JaguarSpace_LLC. The Egusi seeds from Oyo State will be sent as part of a NASA resupply mission to the International Space Station on July 31st from Cape Canaveral in Florida.”
The seasoned expert in satellite application and meteorology, described the seed’s selection as a symbol of the national identity on global maps.
Experts have since backed the initiative as part of a contributing factor to the ongoing discussions around sustainable food networks in the extraterrestrial environment.
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