The Space Foundation recognized three PLANET LLC commercial products; Space Garden, JSC-1A Lunar Regolith Simulant, and JSC-Mars-1A Martian Regolith Simulant, as Certified Education Products. The Space Certification program was created by the Space Foundation, in cooperation with NASA, to raise awareness and understanding about the significant and practical benefits of technologies originally developed for the space program which have been adapted into products and services that improve life on Earth. 

Space Garden's unique growth chamber is a ground-based version of an actual vegetable growth system designed for the International Space Station. Space Garden is equipped with all the materials to conduct biological, agricultural, and life science investigations sililar to the astronauts.  The flight version flew with astronaut Barbara Morgan on Space Shuttle Endeavour's STS-118 mission, went to the International Space Station, and was part of NASA's 2007-2008 year-long Engineering Design Challenge.

JSC-1A Lunar Regolith Simulant and JSC-Mars-1A Martian Regolith Simulant help simulate the "soil" of the moon and Mars. NASA's return to the moon, Mars, and beyond creates an immediate need for materials science and technology research to enable safe human travel and work on future lunar exploration and long-duration missions. Part of the research will require the use of lunar regolith and Martian soil simulants for materials experiments, prototype testing, and dust mitigation of transportation equipment, advanced life support systems, and in-situ resource processing.

"The Space Foundation is pleased to add Space Garden, JSC-1A Lunar Regolith Simulant, and JSC-Mars-1A Martian Regolith Simulant as Certified Educational Products," said Kevin Cook, director of space technology awareness for the Space Foundation.  "We think these products will give kids hands-on experience with the exciting possibilities of space exploration."

Planet LLC offers these products commercially to the education industry and is providing products to the Space Foundation for use in its educational programs. For more information about Space Garden, JSC-1A Lunar Regolith Simulant, JSC-Mars-1A Martian Regolith Simulant, and other space products that improve life here on Earth, visit the Space Certification Program online at at this site.