Introduction
One of humanity’s greatest shifts was a switch from hunter-gatherer clans to an agrarian society. By becoming stewards of the land, we had everything to gain. The first era of agriculture paved the way for stability and sustenance that gave rise to the first ancient civilizations. Another era of agriculture is soon to be upon us: we must grow plants in space. Successful cultivation of plants in spaceflight environments will be a key step for the first space civilizations. Just as our ancestors learned to grow crops, we will do the same: in space.
What is astrobotany?
Astrobotany is the study of plant life and plant interactions in space environments. This includes understanding plant response for human spaceflight as well as the possibility of plant life on other planets. Astrobotany is an emerging field.
Why astrobotany? What challenges may occur when growing plants in space?
Why is studying astrobotany so important? Plant life is critical to our species on earth and will be necessary on extended spaceflight missions. Sustenance, oxygen/carbon dioxide cycling, and mental health improvements are just some important benefits of vegetation systems that make them a key component of human life support. During spaceflight, plants experience a unique environment that poses challenges different than those on Earth. Microgravity, oxidative stress, cold stress, and ionizing radiation are just some of the factors of space that impact plant biology. These stressors can affect root growth, nutrient capture, cell wall modeling, etc. and subsequently will change the way the plant must be tended to. Our future life support systems may very well rely on our understanding of astrobotany.
What is this website?
This website is a free resource for the public to learn more about the emerging field of astrobotany. Astrobotany.com was founded in 2017 by undergraduate researcher Kai Rasmussen in the Gilroy Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The astrobotany.com team is closely involved with researchers across the globe and is committed to the democratization of scientific research, as well as providing robust support to educators.