The Columbia is helping in the evaluation of a potential space-based business: perfumes. Apparently gravity affects the metabolisms of plants in (currently) unpredictable ways. One of the effects of this metabolism change is a change in fragrance. Perfume manufacturers are giddy about the potential for obtaining new scents, especially if they can obtain the exclusive rights.

When private enterprises finally get into orbit on a regular basis, oil production sounds like a winner. The article doesn’t mention this, but fragrant oil production has additional advantages for a space-based business. Space station residents will see the plants as an asset and the oil itself has a high value-to-mass ratio. This is vital, because the shipping costs will be high. Not nearly as much as shipping items to orbit, but they still will be significant.