Growing Plants in Space: The Next Step in Space Exploration

Summary

NASA’s Artemis program aims to establish a permanent base on the moon to enable further exploration in space. However, one of the challenges that astronauts will face is the difficulty of sustaining food sources on the moon. Growing plants on the moon is important to achieve this goal, but it is a hostile environment with no atmosphere or protective magnetic shell, causing constant bombardment with cosmic rays and micrometeorites that make it toxic for plants. Scientists recently found that it is possible to grow plants in actual moon soil brought back by astronauts, but more research is still needed to mitigate its toxic effect. This article discusses the challenges of growing plants in space and how it can be achieved through utilizing hydroponics and lunar regolith.

The challenges of growing plants in space
The groundbreaking study on growing plants in moon soil
Water and sunlight situation in space
Importance of self-sustaining food sources in space
Future habitats for sustained stays on the moon and Mars

The challenges of growing plants in space

Plants require light, air, water, a source of nutrition, and optimal temperature. However, growing plants in space is different from on Earth. It is a hostile environment with no atmosphere, no oxygen, and no carbon dioxide. Until recently, scientists believed that there was no water on the moon, which is crucial for growing plants. Moreover, there are big temperature fluctuations between a lunar day and night, with a potential swing of almost 300 degrees Celsius. The moon’s surface is constantly bombarded by ionizing particles from solar wind or from galactic cosmic radiation, which cause space weathering. As a result, moon soil or regolith is toxic to plants, making it difficult to sustain food sources on the moon.

The groundbreaking study on growing plants in moon soil

Recently, scientists from the University of Florida tested the growth of Arabidopsis plants in three different soils collected from Apollo missions. They found that it is possible to grow plants in actual moon soil, but they also discovered that the regolith causes stress in plants. Further study is needed to determine why this is the case and how to mitigate its toxic effects. Currently, astronauts rely on packaged food, but that cannot sustain long-term stays in space.

Water and sunlight situation in space

Watering plants in space is more challenging than on Earth because it has microgravity. Astronauts use a bag with water and a syringe, but they cannot water too much to avoid choking the plants’ access to oxygen for respiration. Meanwhile, sunlight is also trickier on the lunar surface because every two weeks, there is a cycle of darkness and light due to the moon’s rotation. LED lights provide a solution to create artificial sunlight.

Importance of self-sustaining food sources in space

Having self-sustaining food sources is essential for long-term stays in space because packaged food eventually degrades. NASA prefers powdered fertilizer that can be reconstituted with water instead of using astronaut poo. Future habitats for sustained stays on the moon and Mars will require controlled environments, utilizing every square inch of space with hydroponics and lunar regolith.

Future habitats for sustained stays on the moon and Mars

Habitats on the South Pole are currently being used for researchers to spend months in controlled environments, protecting them from the harsh environment outside. These environments would also be used for growing plants in space, using a combination of hydroponics and lunar regolith. However, more research is still needed to mitigate the toxic effects of lunar soil to sustain long-term stays in space.

Conclusion

Establishing a permanent base on the moon is crucial for further space exploration, but sustaining food supply is a significant challenge. Growing plants in space is possible but requires controlled environments, utilizing hydroponics and lunar regolith. Future habitats for sustained stays on the moon and Mars is crucial to achieving this goal, requiring every square inch of space to be used, every resource to be conserved, to support humankind’s next leap in space exploration.