Purple Lifeform Captured Sprouting ‘Tentacles’ Aboard ISS
Not an alien, but a purple potato
The strange object turned out to be a purple potato nicknamed Spudnik-1. Its long, string-like growths were simply sprouts emerging from the tuber. A small patch of white material nearby was Velcro used to secure the spud inside its enclosure.
Who grew it and when
Don Pettit carried out the experiment during his recent long-duration mission in 2024 and 2025. Pettit is NASA’s oldest active astronaut and tends a hobby garden aboard the ISS in his off-duty time. He posted photos and progress updates across social platforms.
Growing method and other crops
Pettit grew the potatoes hydroponically, in nutrient-rich water rather than soil. He has also cultivated peanuts, zucchini, broccoli and sunflowers on earlier missions. On one occasion he even started basil and tomato seedlings using earplugs as support.
Public reaction and Pettit’s notes
The image prompted dramatic reactions online, with users likening the sprouting tuber to movie monsters. Pettit engaged with the community on Reddit and other sites. He described slower-than-expected plant development aboard the station and said he saw no clear effects from radiation on the potatoes.
Why potatoes matter for spaceflight
Astronauts have long tested plant cultivation in orbit. Potatoes were first grown in space in 1995 and resembled Earth-grown tubers. They remain of interest because their calorie density suits long-duration missions.
Challenges in microgravity
Plants often take longer to mature in microgravity. Pettit suggested that the slower growth could stem from atmospheric conditions, hydroponic systems, microgravity, or stress. He said he is still investigating which factors matter most.
- Object: purple potato nicknamed Spudnik-1
- Image shared by: NASA astronaut Don Pettit
- Mission timeframe: long-duration mission in 2024–2025
- Growing method: hydroponics
- Other crops grown: peanuts, zucchini, broccoli, sunflowers, basil, tomato seedlings
- First space-grown potatoes: 1995
Filmogaz.com will continue to follow updates from Pettit and other astronauts as they test plant growth aboard the ISS. The viral photo shows how a purple lifeform in images can be explained by ordinary botany in orbit.
