This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights . The mushrooms spread out on the chopping board seemed normal enough. They were rich and dense, and had a strong earthy aroma. In the saucepan, they melted – along with the cheese – to form a creamy pasta sauce. A quick taste test proved they were delicious. The rich lion's mane flavour immediately shone through. This was the first meal we made with these unique mushrooms. They were gourmet, but not from any grocery store you can find on Earth. These special fungi had travelled to space, lived aboard the International Space Station for more than a month, returned safely to Earth, and eventually came back to Australia in 2025. Mushrooms launch into space In August 2024, we launched a set of 36 small vials into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket .…