For most, the journey from the classroom to outer space seems impossible — especially for school pupils. But students from 133rd Secondary School and First English Language High School have defied expectations, forming a team that won second place in a prestigious international competition organised by the National Space Society.
Following the ethos of the renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking — to “look more at the stars than at your feet” — the students designed a concept for a space-based agricultural structure and a rotating-module station capable of sustaining life.
“Our project is called FlorAstra, which in Latin means ‘Flowers in Space’,” said Irena Shevkenova, a pupil at 133rd Secondary School. “Our station is positioned around Ceres, named after the Roman goddess of fertility — so the two ideas are closely linked.”
Siyana Krasteva, also from 133rd Secondary School, added: “It was important for us to bring a piece of our home — Bulgaria — into space. Even the station itself is shaped like a flower.”
Flowers play a central role in the project, with the module designed to cultivate more than 40 plant species.
“I’ve been working with plants such as Rosa Damascena, which has pharmaceutical properties,” Shevkenova explained. “We use it for medicine, to help with menstrual pain, and as a supplemental food source. Another is the Orpheus flower, unique to the Rhodope Mountains. This tiny flower can survive almost complete dehydration — remove 95% of its water — and revive with just a drop of water. We want to study this mechanism and apply it to other crops.”
The students also aim to enrich the nutritional content of the fruits and vegetables they grow.
“To add vitamins and minerals to fruits and vegetables that naturally lack them, so that they can provide benefits that would not otherwise exist in the way they currently grow and bloom,” said Nadezhda Dragneva of the First English Language High School.
Interestingly, the team discovered that plants respond positively to music, accelerating growth and improving fruit quality.
“In frequencies between 400 and 1,000 hertz, plants increase metabolism, grow thicker roots, and produce tastier fruits. It’s scientifically proven,” Shevkenova said.
The space module’s menu includes algae, insect larvae, mushrooms, 3D-printed plant-based meat, and robotically harvested crops. Recycling, even in space, remains crucial.
“We recycle urine into water, of course after proper treatment. Food waste is processed through soldier fly larvae and locusts, which are then turned into protein powder — higher in protein than red meat,” Shevkenova added.
Last year, the team won first place in Florida with a different project, meeting astronauts and world-class scientists, including NASA head Jared Isaacman.
“It was a dream come true. We even watched two rockets launch live. Many of us chose our career paths at that moment,” Shevkenova said.
This year, the conference will be held in Virginia, where the students are invited to present their new project — but they need support.
“We are students and cannot fully finance this ourselves. We need backing — expertise, contacts, or funding. We have reached out to Bulgarian institutions and the public. This is not just our success, it’s a success for the entire country, as we will represent Bulgaria on the international stage,” said Dragneva.
Plamen Borisov, deputy head of 133rd Secondary School, added: “This is about the future of humanity. The students are starting to think seriously about it, not as something imaginary. I hope they will one day realise this project in real life.”
Among 14,000 participants and over 2,500 projects, these Bulgarian students stood out to the National Space Society for their innovative approach — a truly stellar achievement.
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