A university professor is about to embark on an extraordinary journey beyond Earth to conduct a long-awaited science experiment.

Robert Ferl, director of the University of Florida's Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology, will be aboard a Blue Origin New Shepard capsule on Thursday when it launches into space in a bid to test the effect of microgravity on cells, specifically what happens to biology as it leaves the surface of the Earth for space and then returns, he told
.

Ferl's journey aboard the Blue Origin flight will last 15 minutes, commencing from Launch Site One in West Texas. The capsule will ascend beyond the Karman line, approximately 62 miles above Earth's surface, before returning to Earth.

The flight will also carry eight specialized containers designed to create a secure, controlled environment for the plants the researchers will study, Ferl explained. Two of these containers will be activated before liftoff, two during the flight, two immediately after the spacecraft enters microgravity, two before re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, and the final two upon landing.

"This will enable us to analyze four crucial stages of the flight trajectory, allowing us to comprehend the molecular-level changes in biology during these phases of flight," Ferl stated.

While Ferl is in space, his colleagues will be on the ground monitoring the activity of the cells in real-time, Anna-Lisa Paul, director of the University of Florida's Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology, told
.

This marks the first time NASA has funded an experiment where a researcher, rather than a NASA astronaut, will directly conduct the experiment in space, Ferl emphasized. Ferl and Paul submitted their proposal for the experiment to NASA roughly seven years ago.

To prepare for this mission, both Ferl and Paul have undergone extensive training, including flights on parabolic aircraft that simulate zero-gravity conditions for extended periods. They have also participated in other physical training programs, such as flying in fighter jets under varying gravity conditions, and have completed several simulations of the Blue Origin flight.

The meticulous planning has allowed the researchers to conduct the experiment with precise timing, Ferl said.

Many experiments have already been performed aboard the International Space Station or inside a space shuttle that involve sending up seeds and growing plants in that environment, Paul said. But this is the first time researchers will directly observe how biological organisms -- in this case, plants -- react to the transition from a terrestrial environment to a spaceflight environment.

The research is the newest in a series of experiments aimed at using commercial suborbital vehicles to understand the biology of the cells as they move from Earth to space, Ferl said.

"These suborbital flights allow us to observe how plants react during this transition before they fully acclimate," Paul said.

The primary goal of the experiment is to understand how organisms respond when they leave their home planet, Paul said. This knowledge will enable humans to work on the moon or in orbital environments, such as Mars, for extended periods, she added.

Plants are a "fundamental element" for supporting human life beyond Earth, Paul said. Because they can provide food and also recycle water and air, understanding how plants react to space travel will allow humans to rely on them more effectively when they leave the planet, she said.

The experiment will set the stage for future astronaut scientists as space travel becomes more common.

"Our scientific work focuses on gaining a deeper understanding of how life adapts outside of Earth's surface," Ferl said.