Growing plants in space is a new challenge
The subject of growing plants in space is becoming increasingly relevant as humans look towards extended crewed spaceflight missions in and beyond our solar system.
Plants have evolved to grow on Earth, but not in space. Similar to humans, we must test terrestrial organisms to understand how they adapt and respond to spaceflight. Plants are not an exception. We must understand how they are affected by space environmental stress, not just terrestrial stressors.
The Astronaut Analogy
When people ask what happens to plants in space, we like to give the astronaut analogy. Our astronauts can and do live in space- but not without consequence. Like plants, humans have evolved to live in an environment with gravity. Astronauts experience problems internally and externally when in space. These include intense radiation exposure, loss of bone density and muscle mass, vision problems, and changes in blood and intracranial pressure.
Similarly, plants can and do grow in space- but not without consequence.
Plants experience molecular stress during spaceflight
Current astrobotany research shows that plants change on a molecular level in response to space environments. Microgravity and ionizing radiation are two unavoidable spaceflight stressors that influence plants in space.
Plants are a critical part of bioregenerative life support systems
A bioregenerative life support system will be a critical part of human spaceflight expeditions in the future. One of humanity’s major goals regarding extensive space travel is to sustain itself in a spacecraft. We want to eliminate the need for resupply by growing plants in space. Plants will likely play an important role in supporting human life in space environments by providing sustenance, gas cycling, and filtration of water. Not only do we need to feed future astronauts, but we also need to keep them well in the realm of mental health. Astronauts report feeling very grounded when viewing and tending to plants in space.