BRISBANE / Australia, 10 September 2025: An innovative research initiative in Queensland is positioning Australia at the forefront of space agriculture, with scientists preparing to grow edible crops in orbit. The University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ), through its iLAuNCH Trailblazer programme, is developing technology that could enable sustainable plant-based food systems during long-term space missions.
Working in collaboration with Axiom Space, Yuri Gravity, and Australian agribusiness Medicinal Harvest, UniSQ researchers are designing an autonomous plant health monitoring system. Using advanced machine vision, the project will test lettuce growth in a specially built space-certified chamber during an upcoming mission.
The technology employs an AI algorithm created by Associate Professor Cheryl McCarthy of UniSQ’s Centre for Agricultural Engineering. The system detects signs of plant stress through camera imagery far earlier than traditional observation methods allow.
“This technology allows us to monitor plants in space conditions and optimise plant health remotely, which is a vital step toward sustainable food systems beyond Earth,” said Professor John Bell, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Innovation at UniSQ.
Queensland Showcases Innovation Globally
The development forms part of Queensland’s broader push to present its research capacity on the world stage. UniSQ representatives joined a high-level delegation of universities and training providers in Taiwan and Japan, culminating in a showcase at World Expo 2025 in Osaka.
Led by Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Ros Bates, the trade mission aligned with the Queensland–Japan Trade and Investment Strategy 2025–2028, aimed at deepening cooperation in education, research, and commercialisation.
“We’re taking Queensland’s best to the world and bringing new opportunities home. This is a government that backs industry, builds trust and delivers results,” Ms. Bates said.
Education and Research Strengths
International education continues to be Queensland’s largest services export, generating $6.85 billion and supporting around 30,000 jobs. As of May 2025, the State hosted 112,311 international student enrolments across more than 160 countries.
With over 350 recognised education providers and globally ranked research institutions, Queensland is promoting its strengths as a hub where research innovation and industry-led programs converge, creating opportunities for both local and international communities.
Image caption: Associate Professor Cheryl McCarthy from the UniSQ Centre for Agricultural Engineering – pictured at the Medicinal Harvest facility outside of Toowoomba – is leading a project to test plant health in space using her machine vision technology.
