VOLUME 3

ASIAN “KIBO” MISSION PLANNING: “SPACE SEEDS FOR ASIAN FUTURE”
PROGRAMME :MALAYSIA SPACE SEED (AstroSeed) PROGRAMMEThe Asian “KIBO” Mission Planning Task Force is a sub session of the Space
Environment Utilization Working Group (SEU-WG) in Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency
Forum (APRSAF). The task force aims to joint utilizations of the Japanese Experiment
Module “KIBO” of the International Space Station by countries in the region. Malaysia isone of the member of the task force.
National Space Agency (ANGKASA) is already established a local committee to conduct
this program. The committee console of Malaysian Agricultural Research andDevelopment Institute (MARDI), Ministry of Education (MOE) and Department ofAgriculture (DOA). We were agree to have 2 component which is education andresearch program. Our national committee already agreed to launch the Malaysia Space
Seed Programme Competition. This competition is opened to all secondary students inMalaysia. Schools are only allowed to send in one team comprises a maximum of 20
students supervised by 4 teachers.
The competition format was chosen because :i. To promote of microgravity science - space awareness;
ii. To develop student interest and skill in scientific space experiments andresearch;iii. To compare, analyze and do hypothesis about the growth of microgravity
environment – exposed seed compared to earth – grown seed.

Pic 1 :The website of Malaysia Space Seed Competition
A total of 45 schools had been registered to enter the competition. All interested
schools
wereregisteredthrough
theofficialwebsite(https://astronomi.angkasa.gov.my/spaceseeds).
To kick-off this competition, a teacher representative each team are call for a briefing
session in National Planetarium on 3rd April 2012. All teachers were brief about thisprogramme, the importance of it for development the interest and skill in scientificspace experiments and research by ANGKASA Representative, Mr. Mhd Fairos Asillam.
Then, they had a briefing the importance of this programme in education andawareness from MOE Representative, Mr. Anandan Kaniappan and the technicalbriefing on chilli seeds handling by MARDI Representative, Dr. Mohammad Selamat
Maadom.

Pic 2 : Briefing from Mr. Fairos Asillam,
ANGKASA

Pic 3 : Briefing from Mr. Anandan
Kaniappan, MOE

Pic 4 : Briefing from Dr. Mohammad
Selamat Maadom, MARDI

After briefing, all teachers got their experimental kits including both seeds (Space Seeds& Ground Seeds). This handing over ceremony has been done by Deputy Director
General ANGKASA, Dr Noordin Ahmad and witness by MARDI, MOE, ANGKASA
Repesentative.

Pic 5 : Handing over experimental kits to all school participate in Malaysia Space Seed
Programme
This competition begins on 9 April simultaneously at all 45 schools. The student will
working in a group and monitor the seed growing of the seed that been sent to ISS andthe ground control seeds. Weekly reports were submitted through the website andANGKASA were monitoring their progress from there.
During the competition, some schools had some difficulties like their seedling doesn’t
grow well due to high heat, applied the wrong pesticide and fungicide, internet
connectivity. ANGKASA also had some problem with the functionality and design ofwebsite in this competition. This is due to the nature of the competition that involves
agricultural background which means it has a physical portion and a long time period
watching and evaluating plant growth. Not only designing the website was difficult,judging was also a bit tricky but luckily we had strong supports from our own local
agricultural & education experts along the program.
All teams submitted their full research report to the secretariat on 30 August 2012
which will then be evaluated by the judges. Judges had 3 series of meetings and finallythey shortlisted the top 6 schools for final evaluation. Final evaluation was done at theschools where the teams had to give a research presentation and show their crops.

a) SMK King George V, N. Sembilan

Pic 6 : Presentation by students

Pic 7: Team’s logbook

Pic 8 : Visiting their crops

Pic 9 : Group photos with judges

b) Kolej Vokasional Dato’ Lela Maharaja, N. Sembilan

Pic 10 : Team’s logbook & the spacechilli

Pic 11: Team’s presentation

Pic 12 : Visiting their crops

Pic 13 : Young researchers teamc) SMK Seri Kenangan, Johor Bahru

Pic 14 : Team’s presentation

Pic 15: Team’s log book & chillies

Pic 16 : Visiting their planting site

Pic 17 : Young researchers teamd) MRSM Kubang Pasu, Kedah

Pic 18 : Team’s presentation

Pic 19: Team’s gallery and promotion intheir school

Pic 20 : Visiting their planting site

Pic 21 : Group photo with all judges &young researchers teame) SMK Sungai Besar, Selangor

Pic 22 : Team’s presentation

Pic 23: Group photo with theirmonument of chilli programme

Pic 24 : Visiting their planting site

Pic 24 : Promotion in school on thisprogrammef) SMK Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor

Pic 25 : Team’s presentation

Pic 26: Team’s log bookPic 27 : Visiting their planting site

Pic 28 : Young researchers team

To commemorate this momentous programme, the prize giving ceremony was held inconjunction with 5th Anniversary of Malaysia Angkasawan Programme (SUPAN 5) on
20th October 2012. The prizes were handed out by the Minister of Science, Technology& Innovation, Datuk Panglima Dr. Maximus Johnity Ongkili to all the top 6 schools.

Pic 29 : Consolation Prize
Kolej Vokasional Dato’ Lela Maharaja,
N. Sembilan

Pic 30 : Consolation Prize
SMK Sungai Besar, Selangor

Pic 31 : Consolation Prize
SMK Seri Kenangan, Johor

Pic 32 : 3rd Prize
SMK Bandar Baru Bangi,Selangor

Pic 33 : 2nd Prize
SMK King George V,
N. Sembilan

Pic 34 : 1st Prize
MRSM Kubang Pasu, KedahThis programme is good because it inculcate research methodology & discipline to all
young researchers in schools. This also makes them think about other possibilities
beyond the MC11 seeds that they were given. One school even suggested bringing anegg to ISS to see how it would hatch in microgravity during the Q&A session after theirpresentation. So it is hoped that this space science programme won’t be a last.