There is something different about plants brought into space
Astronaut Soichi Noguchi poses with lettuce he successfully planted on the International Space Station (commons.wikimedia.org/NASA))
Even though no life has been found outside planet Earth, this does not mean that life from Earth cannot grow and survive in outer space. The successful experiment of growing seeds of various types of plants in outer space is proof that life from Earth can live and grow even in outer space.
Apart from opening up new secrets about the possibility of life in outer space, these plants also make the atmosphere and environment of the space station better. The vegetables that managed to grow became a source of fresh food for the station crew. Check out what plants have been successfully grown in space in the following list.
1. Cherry tree
cherry blossom portrait (commons.wikimedia.org/Rachmat04)
In November 2008 a number of cherry tree seedlings were brought to the space station. Reported Herald Sun, After circling the Earth 4,100 times, the seeds were brought back to Earth in July 2009 by Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata. Some of the seeds were used for research, some were replanted and grew well. However, compared to ordinary cherry trees, there are striking differences from this tree which is nicknamed ‘space cherry blossom’.
Space sakura grows six years faster than ordinary cherry trees. Reported SoraNews24 this means growth space cherry blossoms are twice as fast as regular cherry trees. Another difference is seen when the trees start to flower. When it first flowers, The New Yorker launch space sakura it produces premature flowers because the flowers only have five petals. Meanwhile, the mother of this cherry tree seedling has thirty petals.
2. Pohon sycamore
plaque near the replanted moon tree (commons.wikimedia.org/George100)
Apart from cherry trees, other trees whose seeds were taken into space are moon trees. Look like space sakura, moon trees is the name for the sycamore tree seeds that were brought into space in 1971. The tree seeds were brought by one of the astronauts who served on the Apollo 14 mission, Stuart Roosa. After returning from the mission, the tree seeds were planted in various different places.
Reported BBC, the sycamore tree seeds then develop into sprouts, and grow into tree shoots. The shoots of this tree were then divided and planted in various American states and other countries. Of the many seeds brought into space, there is no exact record of how many or where moon tree planted successfully. Apart from America, several moon tree also grown in Brazil and England. The seeds then managed to grow well and produce new seeds.
Also Read: 5 Interesting Facts about the ISS Space Station, Home of Astronauts!
3. Potatoes
experiment planting potatoes grown in the Biomass Production Chamber (images.nasa.gov/NASA)
Potatoes are the first vegetable crop to be successfully grown in space. NASA scientists in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin discovered technology that allows potatoes to grow better and faster. With this technology they carried out experiments on growing potato seeds in space.
Potato seeds were taken into space in October 1995 and grown in a laboratory on the space shuttle Columbia. Reported NASA, five small potatoes were grown in microgravity conditions, to see the effect of gravity on plant growth. Apart from that, these potato seeds grow without any pest interference or climate influence.
The potato and vegetable growing experiments were considered very good for the environment for the space staff. Plants will provide water for researchers in space, provide oxygen and filter carbon dioxide. Apart from that, this experiment also aims to improve food security on long-term missions in space.
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4. Bok choy
astronaut Michael Hopkins sniffs a bok choy plant successfully grown on the international space station (images.nasa.gov/NASA))
Bok choy is one of the vegetables that is part of NASA’s four experimental vegetable production systems or Vegetable Production System (Veggie). The bok choy grown in space is a small type of bok choy, ie extra dwarf bok choi. This vegetable was successfully planted and grew for 64 days on the international space station.
Previously, Veggie’s experiments had twice succeeded in planting and growing bok choy. Unfortunately, both experiments did not produce the expected results. In the third experiment, these vegetables were successfully grown and harvested. The space station crew has even consumed the harvest.
Uniquely, the bok choy seeds that were successfully harvested were selected by middle and high school students who participated in the program Going Beyond Earth. The students tested bok choy plant seeds in their project, and declared their test results successful. The project is working with NASA to test plant varieties that will be grown in space.
5. Padi
screenshot of rice plants planted on the Tiangong space station (youtube.com/South China Morning Post)
This plant, which is a staple food for many Asian people, began to be grown in space in July 2022. Rice seeds were brought by astronauts from China along with the launch of the Wentian space laboratory, and grown on the Tiangong space station. This rice seedling successfully grew into an adult rice plant in zero gravity conditions. Even though this is the first success in growing rice from seedlings to mature rice plants, this is not the first time rice seeds have been successfully sown in space.
In 2021, it was reported India Today, taikonaut – the name for astronauts from China – succeeded in growing forty grams of rice seeds carried on the Chang’e-5 exploration mission. The rice that is successfully sown is brought back to earth to be replanted. The rice grows until it is harvested. The harvested rice was later dubbed ‘rice from heaven’.
Also Read: These 8 Plants Grow Successfully in Space, Some Are Successfully Eaten!
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2023-09-14 12:19:00
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