Anadolu International Press

ICA, PERU - JUNE 21: A team of Peruvian scientists launch a stratospheric research mission sending scientific experiments to the edge of space on in Ica, Peru on June 21, 2026. A team led by Octavio Chon Torres launched a 1.3 kg balloon payload from Peru’s Ica Desert to about 30 km altitude, carrying tardigrades, coffee seeds, and maca into near-space conditions. The experiment tested how extreme radiation, cold, and low pressure affect living organisms to support astrobiology research and understand the limits of life. Anadolu Images / Anadolu Agency. Used for editorial purposes.