plants in space

File:Learning About 'Veggie' at the NASA Social.jpg

In the 2010s there was an increased desire for long-term space missions, which led to desire for space-based plant production as food for astronauts.{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/veggie|title=Veggie will Expand Fresh Food Production on Space Station|first=Kristine|last=Rainey|date=2 March 2015|website=NASA|access-date=13 February 2019}} An example of this is vegetable production on the International Space Station in Earth orbit. By the year 2010, 20 plant growth experiments had been conducted aboard the International Space Station.

Several experiments have been focused on how plant growth and distribution compares in micro-gravity, space conditions versus Earth conditions. This enables scientists to explore whether certain plant growth patterns are innate or environmentally driven. For instance, Allan H. Brown tested seedling movements aboard the {{OV|102}} in 1983. Sunflower seedling movements were recorded while in orbit. They observed that the seedlings still experienced rotational growth and circumnutation despite lack of gravity, showing these behaviors are instinctual.{{cite book |last1=Chamovitz |first1=Daniel |title=What a Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses |date=2012 |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=978-0-374-28873-0 }}{{pn|date=April 2025}}

Other experiments have found that plants have the ability to exhibit gravitropism, even in low-gravity conditions. For instance, the ESA's European Modular Cultivation System{{cite journal |last1=Jost |first1=Ann-Iren |last2=Hoson |first2=Takayuki |last3=Iversen |first3=Tor-Henning |title=The Utilization of Plant Facilities on the International Space Station—The Composition, Growth, and Development of Plant Cell Walls under Microgravity Conditions |journal=Plants |date=20 January 2015 |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=44–62 |doi=10.3390/plants4010044 |pmc=4844336 |pmid=27135317 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2015Plnts...4...44J }} enables experimentation with plant growth; acting as a miniature greenhouse, scientists aboard the International Space Station can investigate how plants react in variable-gravity conditions. The Gravi-1 experiment (2008) utilized the EMCS to study lentil seedling growth and amyloplast movement on the calcium-dependent pathways.{{cite journal |last1=Driss-Ecole |first1=Dominique |last2=Legué |first2=Valérie |last3=Carnero-Diaz |first3=Eugénie |last4=Perbal |first4=Gérald |title=Gravisensitivity and automorphogenesis of lentil seedling roots grown on board the International Space Station |journal=Physiologia Plantarum |date=September 2008 |volume=134 |issue=1 |pages=191–201 |doi=10.1111/j.1399-3054.2008.01121.x |pmid=18429941 |bibcode=2008PPlan.134..191D }} The results of this experiment found that the plants were able to sense the direction of gravity even at very low levels.{{cite web|title=Scientific objectives|url=https://lensesinspace.wordpress.com/objectives-of-the-gravi-experiment-2/|website=Lensesinspace.wordpress.com|date=28 March 2014}} A later experiment with the EMCS placed 768 lentil seedlings in a centrifuge to stimulate various gravitational changes; this experiment, Gravi-2 (2014), displayed that plants change calcium signalling towards root growth while being grown in several gravity levels.{{cite web|title=A decade of plant biology in space|url=https://phys.org/news/2016-07-decade-biology-space.html|author=European Space Agency |work=Phys.org |date=July 5, 2016}}

Many experiments have a more generalized approach in observing overall plant growth patterns as opposed to one specific growth behavior. One such experiment from the Canadian Space Agency, for example, found that white spruce seedlings grew differently in the anti-gravity space environment compared with Earth-bound seedlings;{{cite web|title=Advanced Plant Experiment - Canadian Space Agency 2 (APEX-CSA2) |url=https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=68|website=NASA}} the space seedlings exhibited enhanced growth from the shoots and needles, and also had randomized amyloplast distribution compared with the Earth-bound control group.{{cite journal|last1=Rioux|first1=Danny|last2=Lagacé|first2=Marie|last3=Cohen|first3=Luchino Y.|last4=Beaulieu|first4=Jean|title=Variation in stem morphology and movement of amyloplasts in white spruce grown in the weightless environment of the International Space Station|journal=Life Sciences in Space Research|date=1 January 2015|volume=4|pages=67–78|doi=10.1016/j.lssr.2015.01.004|pmid=26177622|bibcode=2015LSSR....4...67R}}

Food production is key to making Space exploration feasible. Currently, the cost of sending food to the International Space Station (ISS) is estimated as USD$20 000–40 000/kg, with each crew member receiving ~1.8 kg of food (plus packaging) per day . Re-stocking from Earth, a lunar orbiting Space station or Mars habitation with food will be significantly more costly. The first trips to Mars are expected to be a three-year round trip, and it has been estimated that a four-person crew would need 10–11 000 kgs of food.{{cite journal |last1=Mortimer |first1=Jenny C |last2=Gilliham |first2=Matthew |title=SpaceHort: redesigning plants to support space exploration and on-earth sustainability |journal=Current Opinion in Biotechnology |date=February 2022 |volume=73 |pages=246–252 |doi=10.1016/j.copbio.2021.08.018 |pmid=34563931 |doi-access=free }}

The first organisms in space were "specially developed strains of seeds" launched to {{convert|134|km|mi|abbr=on}} on 9 July 1946 on a U.S. launched V-2 rocket. These samples were not recovered. The first seeds launched into space and successfully recovered were maize seeds launched on 30 July 1946. Soon followed rye and cotton. These early suborbital biological experiments were handled by Harvard University and the Naval Research Laboratory and were concerned with radiation exposure on living tissue.{{cite report |id={{DTIC|AD0272581}} |last1=Beischer |first1=Dietrich E. |last2=Fregly |first2=Alfred R. |title=Animals and man in space. A chronology and annotated bibliography through the year 1960 |publisher=US Naval School of Aviation Medicine }} On September 22 1966, Kosmos 110 launched with two dogs and moisturized seeds. Several of those seeds germinated, the first to do so, resulting in lettuce, cabbage and some beans that had greater yield than their controls on Earth.{{cite book |doi=10.1007/978-1-4419-8150-9 |title=Russian Space Probes |date=2011 |last1=Harvey |first1=Brian |last2=Zakutnyaya |first2=Olga |isbn=978-1-4419-8149-3 |page=315 }} In 1971, 500 tree seeds (Loblolly pine, Sycamore, Sweetgum, Redwood, and Douglas fir) were flown around the Moon on Apollo 14. These Moon trees were planted and grown with controls back on Earth where no changes were detected.

File:ISS-53 Mizuna being cultivated inside the Veggie facility.jpg

File:ISS-38 Young sunflower plant.jpg

In 1982, the crew of the Soviet Salyut 7 space station conducted an experiment, prepared by Lithuanian scientists (Alfonsas Merkys and others), and grew some Arabidopsis using Fiton-3 experimental micro-greenhouse apparatus, thus becoming the first plants to flower and produce seeds in space.{{cite web |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/first-species-of-plant-to-flower-in-space |title=First species of plant to flower in space |work=Guinness World Records |access-date=20 January 2016}}{{cite web |url=http://nasawatch.com/archives/2016/01/no-nasa-these-a.html |title=No NASA, These Are Not The First Plants To Flower In Space |first=Keith |last=Cowing |date=January 16, 2016 |work=NASA Watch |access-date=20 January 2016}} A Skylab experiment studied the effects of gravity and light on rice plants.{{cite web |title=0102081 - Plant Growth/Plant Phototropism - Skylab Student Experiment ED-61/62 |url=https://mix.msfc.nasa.gov/abstracts.php?p=1419 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317060234/https://mix.msfc.nasa.gov/abstracts.php?p=1419 |archive-date=17 March 2016 |access-date=13 February 2019 |work=NASA}}{{cite web|url=https://history.nasa.gov/SP-401/ch5.htm|title=SP-401 Skylab, Classroom in Space -- Chapter 5: Embryo Development in Space |website=NASA History|date=January 1977 |access-date=13 February 2019 |last1=Summerlin |first1=L. B. }} The SVET-2 Space Greenhouse successfully achieved seed to seed plant growth in 1997 aboard space station Mir.{{cite web|url=http://www.space.bas.bg/astro/Aerosp16/tania1.pdf|author=T. Ivanova |display-authors=et al |title=First Successful Space Seed-to-Seed Plant Growth Experiment in the SVET-2 Space Greenhouse in 1997|website=Space.bas.bg|access-date=13 February 2019}} Bion 5 carried Daucus carota and Bion 7 carried maize (aka corn).

Plant research continued on the International Space Station. Biomass Production System was used on the ISS Expedition 4. The Vegetable Production System (Veggie) system was later used aboard ISS.{{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/Veggie.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101123193349/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/Veggie.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 November 2010|title=Vegetable Production System |website=NASA |access-date=13 February 2019}} Plants tested in Veggie before going into space included lettuce, Swiss chard, radishes, Chinese cabbage and peas.{{Cite web |last=Regan |first=Rebecca |date=16 October 2012 |title=Station Investigation to Test Fresh Food Experience |url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/veggie.html |access-date=23 January 2016 |website=NASA |language=en |archive-date=23 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123210659/http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/veggie.html |url-status=dead }} Red Romaine lettuce was grown in space on Expedition 40 which were harvested when mature, frozen and tested back on Earth. Expedition 44 members became the first American astronauts to eat plants grown in space on 10 August 2015, when their crop of Red Romaine was harvested.{{Cite magazine |url=https://time.com/3991352/lettuce-space-station/ |title=Why Salad in Space Matters |first=Jeffrey |last=Kluger |author-link=Jeffrey Kluger |magazine=Time |date=10 August 2015}} Since 2003 Russian cosmonauts have been eating half of their crop while the other half goes towards further research.{{cite web |last1=Bauman |first1=Joe |title=USU Experiment Feeds Astronauts' Minds, Taste Buds |url=http://www.sdl.usu.edu/media-events/news/press/2003/jun16-dnlada |work=Deseret News |publisher=Space Dynamics Laboratory |date=16 June 2003 |access-date=28 August 2015 |archive-date=14 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214003503/http://www.sdl.usu.edu/media-events/news/press/2003/jun16-dnlada |url-status=dead }} In 2012, a sunflower bloomed aboard the ISS under the care of NASA astronaut Donald Pettit.{{cite web |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/letters/2012/06/29/post_1340814534271/ |title=June 17–26 – Diary of a Space Zucchini |date=2012-06-29 |work=Letters to Earth: Astronaut Don Pettit (NASA Blogs) |access-date=20 January 2016}} In January 2016, US astronauts announced that a zinnia had blossomed aboard the ISS.{{cite news |url=http://www.cnet.com/news/behold-the-first-flower-to-bloom-in-space-a-cheerful-zinnia |title=Behold the first flower to bloom in space, a cheerful zinnia |work=CNET |date=18 January 2016 |first=Amanda |last=Kooser}}

In 2017 the Advanced Plant Habitat was designed for ISS, which was a nearly self-sustaining plant growth system for that space station in low Earth orbit.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-plant-habitat-will-increase-harvest-on-international-space-station|title=New Plant Habitat Will Increase Harvest on International Space Station|last=Herridge|first=Linda|date=2017-03-02|work=NASA|access-date=2018-05-11|language=en}} The system is installed in parallel with another plant grown system aboard the station, VEGGIE, and a major difference with that system is that APH is designed to need less upkeep by humans. APH is supported by the Plant Habitat Avionics Real-Time Manager. Some plants that were to be tested in APH include Dwarf Wheat and Arabidopsis. In December 2017 hundreds of seeds were delivered to ISS for growth in the VEGGIE system.{{cite press release |last1=Hamilton |first1=Eric |title=Zero gravity plant growth experiments delivered to space station |url=https://news.wisc.edu/zero-gravity-plant-growth-experiments-delivered-to-space-station/ |publisher=University of Wisconsin–Madison |date=18 December 2017 }} APH is an important advancement in the understanding of plant growth in space and therefore the future of space exploration in general.

In 2018 the Veggie-3 experiment at the ISS, was tested with plant pillows and root mats.{{Cite web|url=http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-space-station-on-orbit-status-6-february-2018---celebrating-10-years-of-esas-columbus-module.html|title=NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 6 February 2018 - Celebrating 10 Years of ESA's Columbus Module|website=SpaceRef|language=en|access-date=2018-02-08|archive-date=1 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001060242/http://spaceref.com/international-space-station/nasa-space-station-on-orbit-status-6-february-2018---celebrating-10-years-of-esas-columbus-module.html|url-status=dead}} One of the goals is to grow food for crew consumption. Crops tested at this time include cabbage, lettuce, and mizuna. In 2018, the PONDS system for nutrient deliver in microgravity was tested.{{cite web |url=https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/2621.html |title=NASA - Veggie PONDS|work=NASA|access-date=13 February 2019}}

File:Spacecolony3edit.jpeg space habitat, showing alternating land and window stripes]]

In December 2018, the German Aerospace Center launched the EuCROPIS satellite into low Earth orbit. This mission carried two greenhouses intended to grow tomatoes under simulated gravity of first the Moon and then Mars (6 months each) using by-products of human presence in space as source of nutrients. When scientists activated the experiment, they found that the greenhouses were functional, but the irrigation system was not; therefore the dormant seeds could not be used.{{cite press release |title=Farewell to the Eu:CROPIS mission |url=https://www.dlr.de/en/latest/news/2020/01/20200113_farewell-to-the-eucropis-mission |publisher=German Aerospace Center |date=13 January 2020 }}

The Seedling Growth series of experiments to study the mechanisms of tropisms and the cell/cycle were performed on the ISS between 2013 and 2017.{{cite journal |last1=Vandenbrink |first1=Joshua P. |last2=Herranz |first2=Raul |last3=Medina |first3=F. Javier |last4=Edelmann |first4=Richard E. |last5=Kiss |first5=John Z. |title=A novel blue-light phototropic response is revealed in roots of Arabidopsis thaliana in microgravity |journal=Planta |date=December 2016 |volume=244 |issue=6 |pages=1201–1215 |doi=10.1007/s00425-016-2581-8 |pmc=5748516 |pmid=27507239 |bibcode=2016Plant.244.1201V }}{{Cite web|last=Kovo|first=Yael|date=2017-05-11|title=Seedling Growth-3 (SpaceX-11)|url=http://www.nasa.gov/ames/research/space-biosciences/seedling-growth-3|access-date=2020-10-26|website=NASA}}{{Dead link|date=March 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} These experiments also involved using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, and were a collaboration between NASA (John Z. Kiss as PI) and ESA (F. Javier Medina as PI).{{Cite web|title=To Boldly Grow|url=https://researchmagazine.uncg.edu/spring-2018-issue/to-boldly-grow/|access-date=2020-10-26|website=UNCG Research Magazine|language=en-US}}

On 30 November 2020, astronauts aboard the ISS collected the first harvest of radishes grown on the station. A total of 20 plants was collected and prepared for transportation back to Earth. There are currently plans to repeat the experiment and grow a second batch.{{Cite web|last=Herridge|first=Linda|date=2020-12-02|title=Astronauts Harvest First Radish Crop on International Space Station|url=https://www.nasa.gov/feature/astronauts-harvest-first-radish-crop-on-international-space-station|access-date=2020-12-06|website=NASA}}

Chang'e 4 lunar lander in January 2019, carried a {{cvt|3|kg|abbr=on}} sealed "biosphere" with many seeds and insect eggs to test whether plants and insects could hatch and grow together in synergy.{{cite news |last1=David |first1=Leonard |date=May 22, 2018 |title=Comsat Launch Bolsters China's Dreams for Landing on the Moon's Far Side |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/comsat-launch-bolsters-chinas-dreams-for-landing-on-the-moons-far-side/ |work=Scientific American |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181129225206/https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/comsat-launch-bolsters-chinas-dreams-for-landing-on-the-moons-far-side/ |archive-date=29 November 2018 |language=en}} The experiment included seeds of potatoes, tomatoes, and Arabidopsis thaliana (a flowering plant), as well as silkworm eggs. On January 15, 2019, it was reported that cotton seeds had grown in the biosphere - this became the first plant grown on the Moon.{{cite journal |last1=Castelvecchi |first1=Davide |last2=Tatalović |first2=Mićo |title=Plant sprouts on the Moon for first time ever |journal=Nature |date=15 January 2019 |doi=10.1038/d41586-019-00159-0 |pmid=30657745 }}{{cite journal |last1=Xie |first1=GengXin |last2=Ding |first2=JingHang |last3=Zhang |first3=YuanXun |last4=Ren |first4=MaoZhi |last5=Qiu |first5=Dan |last6=Wang |first6=Xi |title=The first biological experiment on lunar surface for Humankind: Device and results |journal=Acta Astronautica |date=January 2024 |volume=214 |pages=216–223 |doi=10.1016/j.actaastro.2023.10.023 |bibcode=2024AcAau.214..216X }} Environmental systems were in place to keep the container hospitable and Earth-like, except for the low lunar gravity.{{cite news |url=https://www.inverse.com/article/52175-china-chang-e-4-far-side-moon-landing-worms |title=China Is About to Land Living Eggs on the Far Side of the Moon |first=Yasmin |last=Tayag |work=Inverse |date=2 January 2019}} It was hoped that if the eggs hatched, the larvae would produce carbon dioxide, while the germinated plants would release oxygen through photosynthesis. It was hoped that together, the plants and silkworms can establish a simple synergy within the container. A miniature camera was to photograph any growth. The biological experiment was designed by 28 Chinese universities.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46724727 |title=Chang'e-4: China mission primed for landing on Moon's far side |first=Paul |last=Rincon |work=BBC News |date=2 January 2019}}{{Cite journal |last1=Massa |first1=G.D. |last2=Wheeler |first2=R.M. |last3=Morrow |first3=R.C. |last4=Levine |first4=H.G. |date=2016 |title=Growth chambers on the International Space Station for large plants |url=https://www.actahort.org/books/1134/1134_29.htm |journal=Acta Horticulturae |issue=1134 |pages=215–222 |doi=10.17660/ActaHortic.2016.1134.29 |hdl=2060/20160006558 |hdl-access=free }}

In 2023 it was reported that the original 100 day experiment was scaled back to 9 days; the insects did not hatch and the potatoes did not sprout.{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=Matt |last2=Today |first2=Universe |title=China set up a tiny farm on the moon in 2019. How did it do? |url=https://phys.org/news/2023-10-china-tiny-farm-moon.html |work=phys.org |agency=Universe Today |date=30 October 2023 }} The cotton survived for 2 days before succumbing to temperature changes.{{cite news |last1=Ashworth |first1=James |title=Plants grown in lunar soil for the first time |url=https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2022/may/plants-grown-lunar-soil-for-first-time.html |work=Natural History Museum |date=12 May 2022 }}

Lunar soil has also been proven{{check|date=November 2024}} to allow plants to grow on, tested in a laboratory at the University of Florida.{{cite web | last=Keeter | first=Bill | title=Scientists Grow Plants in Lunar Soil | website=NASA | date=2022-05-12 | url=http://www.nasa.gov/feature/biological-physical/scientists-grow-plants-in-soil-from-the-moon | access-date=2023-08-16}} These experiments showed that while the plant Arabidopsis thaliana can germinate and grow in lunar soil, that there are challenges presented in the plants ability to thrive, as many were slow to develop. Plants that did germinate showed morphological and transcriptomic indications of stress.{{cite journal |last1=Paul |first1=Anna-Lisa |last2=Elardo |first2=Stephen M. |last3=Ferl |first3=Robert |title=Plants grown in Apollo lunar regolith present stress-associated transcriptomes that inform prospects for lunar exploration |journal=Communications Biology |date=12 May 2022 |volume=5 |issue=1 |page=382 |doi=10.1038/s42003-022-03334-8 |pmc=9098553 |pmid=35552509|bibcode=2022CmBio...5..382P }}

File:Veggie plants.jpg

Plants grown in space include:

{{div col}}

• Arabidopsis (Thale cress)
• Bok choy (Tokyo Bekana) (Chinese cabbage){{cite web |url=https://www.nasa.gov/feature/cabbage-patch-fifth-crop-harvested-aboard-space-station |title=Cabbage Patch: Fifth Crop Harvested Aboard Space Station |work=NASA |first=Amanda |last=Griffin |date=17 February 2017 |access-date=28 March 2017 |archive-date=23 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423095447/https://www.nasa.gov/feature/cabbage-patch-fifth-crop-harvested-aboard-space-station/ |url-status=dead }}
• Super dwarf wheat
• Apogey wheat
• Brassica rapa
• Rice
• Tulips{{cite magazine |url=https://www.airspacemag.com/space/growing-pains-4148507/|title=Growing Pains|magazine=Air & Space Magazine |date=September 2003 |first=Robert |last=Zimmerman |access-date=13 February 2019}}
• Kalanchoe
• Flax
• Onions, peas, radishes, lettuce, wheat, garlic, cucumbers, parsley, potato, and dill
• Lettuce and Cinnamon basil{{cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/pgig003.html|title=NASA - A Plant Growth Chamber|work=NASA|access-date=13 February 2019|archive-date=8 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808173959/https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/pgig003.html|url-status=dead}}
• Cabbage
• Zinnia hybrida ("Profusion" var.){{cite news |url=http://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2015/12/29/flowers-could-soon-bloom-aboard-international-space-station-kennedy-space-center-experiment-nasa/77986792/ |title=ISS space flowers may need some help from 'Martian' |work=Florida Today |first=James |last=Dean |date=29 December 2015 |access-date=19 April 2017}}
• Mizuna lettuce
• Red romaine lettuce ("Outredgeous" var.){{cite news |url=http://www.medicaldaily.com/pulse/outredgeous-red-romaine-lettuce-grown-aboard-international-space-station-be-taste-346980 |title='Outredgeous' Red Romaine Lettuce, Grown Aboard The International Space Station, To Be Taste-Tested By Astronauts |work=Medical Daily |series=Pulse |first=Steve |last=Smith |date=10 August 2015 |access-date=19 April 2017}}
• Sunflower
• Ceratopteris richardii{{cite journal |last1=Salmi |first1=Mari L. |last2=Roux |first2=Stanley J. |title=Gene expression changes induced by space flight in single-cells of the fern Ceratopteris richardii |journal=Planta |date=December 2008 |volume=229 |issue=1 |pages=151–159 |doi=10.1007/s00425-008-0817-y |pmid=18807069 |bibcode=2008Plant.229..151S }}

{{div col end}}

File:Mars Food Production - Bisected.jpg

Some experiments involving plants include:

• Oasis plant growth unit, began 1971 aboard the Salyut 1.{{Cite web |date=2020-11-21 |title=Oasis Series Growth Chambers {{!}} astrobotany.com |url=https://astrobotany.com/oasis-series-growth-chambers/ |access-date=2022-10-16 |language=en-US}}
• Plant Growth/Plant Phototropism, selected March 1972 aboard Skylab.{{Citation |last=NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center |title=Plant Growth/Plant Phototropism - Skylab Student Experiment ED-61/62 |date=1973-01-01 |url=http://archive.org/details/MSFC-0102081 |access-date=2022-10-16}}

• Bion satellites, began 1973.
• NASA Clean Air Study, began in 1989 at the Stennis Space Center.{{Cite report |last1=Wolverton |first1=B. C. |last2=Johnson |first2=Anne |last3=Bounds |first3=Keith |date=1989-09-15 |title=Interior Landscape Plants for Indoor Air Pollution Abatement |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19930073077 |language=en}}

• SVET, began June 1990 aboard Mir.{{cite journal |last1=Ivanova |first1=T.N. |last2=Bercovich |first2=Yu.A. |last3=Mashinskiy |first3=A.L. |last4=Meleshko |first4=G.I. |title=The first 'space' vegetables have been grown in the 'SVET' greenhouse using controlled environmental conditions |journal=Acta Astronautica |date=August 1993 |volume=29 |issue=8 |pages=639–644 |doi=10.1016/0094-5765(93)90082-8 |pmid=11541646 |bibcode=1993AcAau..29..639I }}
• SVET-2, was conducted in 1997 aboard Mir.{{cite journal |last1=Ivanova |first1=Tanya |last2=Sapunova |first2=Svetlana |last3=Kostov |first3=Plamen |last4=Dandolov |first4=Ivan |title=First successful space seed-to-seed plant growth experiment in the SVET-2 Space Greenhouse in 1997 |journal=Aerospace Research in Bulgaria |date=2001 |volume=16 |pages=12–23 |url=http://space.bas.bg/astro/Aerosp16/tania1.pdf |bibcode=2001ARBl...16...12I }}
• Plant growth experiment (STS-95), began October 1998 aboard the ISS.{{cite journal |last1=Ueda |first1=Junichi |last2=Miyamoto |first2=Kensuke |last3=Yuda |first3=Tomokazu |last4=Hoshino |first4=Tomoki |last5=Sato |first5=Keiko |last6=Fujii |first6=Shuhei |last7=Kamigaichi |first7=Shigeki |last8=Izumi |first8=Ryutaro |last9=Ishioka |first9=Noriaki |last10=Aizawa |first10=Sachiko |last11=Yoshizaki |first11=Izumi |last12=Fukui |first12=Keiji |last13=Fukui |first13=K |title=STS-95 space experiment for plant growth and development, and auxin polar transport. |journal=Biological Sciences in Space |date=2000 |volume=14 |issue=2 |pages=47–57 |doi=10.2187/bss.14.47 |pmid=11543421 |doi-access=free }}

• Space Rose (STS-95), to evaluate the effects of microgravity on the production of aroma constituents, a rose plant with both an unopened bud and a half bloom was sent into the space aboard NASA space shuttle STS-95 for 9 days, from October 29 through November 6, 1998.{{cite journal |title=Space Rose Pleases the Senses |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20020080289 |journal=Spinoff 2002|date=January 2002 }}
• Biomass Production System, began April 2002, aboard the ISS.{{Cite web |title=NASA - Biomass Production System (BPS) fact sheet |url=https://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/background/facts/bps.html |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=www.nasa.gov |language=en}}{{dead link|date=April 2025}}
• Lada greenhouse (aka Lada Validating Vegetable Production Unit), began 2002, aboard the ISS.
• Advanced Astroculture (ADVASC), aboard the ISS and Mir.{{Cite web |title=NASA - ADVANCED ASTROCULTURE (ADVASC) fact sheet (11/01) |url=https://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/news/background/facts/advasc2.html |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=www.nasa.gov |language=en}}
• Transgenic Arabidopsis Gene Expression System (TAGES), began November 2009 aboard the ISS.{{cite web |url=https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/06may_arabidopsis/ |title=Glow-in-the-Dark Plants on the ISS |publisher=NASA Science |date=6 May 2013 |first=Tony |last=Phillips |access-date=13 February 2019 |archive-date=8 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200108134537/https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/06may_arabidopsis/ |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |last=Administrator |first=NASA |date=2013-06-07 |title=Getting to The Root of Plant Growth Aboard The Space Station |url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/tages.html |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=NASA |language=en |archive-date=23 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423095448/https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/tages.html |url-status=dead }}

• Plant Signaling (STS-135), began July 2011 aboard the ISS.{{Cite web |last=Kovo |first=Yael |date=2015-02-23 |title=Plant Signaling (STS-135) |url=http://www.nasa.gov/ames/research/space-biosciences/plant-signaling-sts-135 |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=NASA}}

• Vegetable Production System (Veggie), began May 2014 aboard the ISS.{{Cite web |last=Heiney |first=Anna |date=2019-04-09 |title=Growing Plants in Space |url=http://www.nasa.gov/content/growing-plants-in-space |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=NASA}}{{Cite web |title=VEGGIE - NASA Science |url=https://science.nasa.gov/mission/veggie/ |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=science.nasa.gov |date=15 June 2023 |language=en-US}}

• Advanced Plant Habitat, began April 2017 aboard the ISS.{{cite web |title=Advanced Plant Habitat |url=https://science.nasa.gov/mission/advanced-plant-habitat/ |work=NASA Science |date=31 October 2022 }}

• ECOSTRESS, began June 2018 aboard the ISS.{{Cite web|title=ECOSTRESS |url=https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/ecosystem-spaceborne-thermal-radiometer-experiment-on-space-station-ecostress |access-date=November 5, 2022|website=NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) |language=en-US}}[https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7098 NASA's New Space 'Botanist' Arrives at Launch Site]. NASA. 17 April 2018.
• Chang'e 4 lunar lander "biosphere" with seeds and insect eggs to test whether plants and insects could hatch and grow together in synergy, began 2019.
• SpaceMoss (SpaceX CRS-18), a NASA experiment studying the growth of the moss Physcomitrella patens in microgravity, began July 2019 aboard the ISS."Space Moss" in: {{cite news |last1=Keeter |first1=Bill |title=ISS Daily Summary Report – 9/06/2019 |url=https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/stationreport/2019/09/06/iss-daily-summary-report-9-06-2019/ |publisher=NASA |date=6 September 2019 }}
• Algae as sustainable food in space.{{cite book |doi=10.1016/b978-0-323-89855-3.00018-2 |chapter=Algae as sustainable food in space missions |title=Biomass, Biofuels, Biochemicals |date=2022 |last1=Vinayak |first1=Vandana |pages=517–540 |isbn=978-0-323-89855-3 }}{{cite journal |last1=Halstead |first1=T W |last2=Dutcher |first2=F R |title=Plants in Space |journal=Annual Review of Plant Physiology |date=June 1987 |volume=38 |issue=1 |pages=317–345 |doi=10.1146/annurev.pp.38.060187.001533 |pmid=11538459 }}

• North Carolina State University experiment in 2022 which looked at the effect of microgravity on vacuoles.{{cite news |last1=Macek |first1=Emma |title=Plants in Space |url=https://magazine.cals.ncsu.edu/plants-in-space/ |work=CALS Magazine |date=24 June 2022 }}

• University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) experiment; Arabidopsis thaliana plants were grown from seeds on the ISS in early 2024 as part of an epigenetics study.{{cite news |last1=Bauer |first1=Meredith |title=UF/IFAS plants grown in space flown home |url=https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/2024/02/08/uf-ifas-plants-grown-in-space-flown-home/ |work=News |date=8 February 2024 }}

The Vegetable Production System (Veggie), began in May 2014 aboard the ISS. This included;{{cite web |url=https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/veggie_fact_sheet_508.pdf |title=Vegie |work=NASA Facts }}

• Veg-01A, growing lettuce on the ISS in 2014.
• Veg-01B, growing red romaine lettuce on the ISS in 2015.
• Veg-01C, growing zinnia flowers on the ISS in 2015.
• VEG-03A, growing red romaine lettuce using a ‘cut-and-come-again repetitive harvest’ technique in 2016.
• VEG-03B, growing Chinese cabbage in 2017.
• VEG-03C, growing Chinese cabbage using a ‘cut-and-come-again repetitive’ harvest technique in 2017.
• VEG-03D, growing mustard, red romaine lettuce and ‘Waldmann’s Green’ lettuce using ‘cut-and-come-again’ repetitive harvest technique in 2017 - this was harvested and eaten on Thanksgiving.
• VEG-03E and VEG-03F, growing mustard, red romaine lettuce and ‘Waldmann’s Green’ lettuce using ‘cut-and-come-again’ repetitive harvest technique in 2018.
• VEG-03G, growing kale and lettuce in 2018.

• The 2019 Veg-03H experiment involved growing Wasabi Mustard Greens and Extra Dwarf Pak Choi on the ISS.{{cite news |title=Plant Experiment Veg-03 H Initiated on Space Station |url=https://www.globalpeopledailynews.com/content/plant-experiment-veg-03-h-initiated-space-station |work=Global People Daily News |date=12 March 2019 }}
• The 2021 Veg-03I study saw the first successful plant transplants in space, using sprouts, kale and pak choi.{{cite press release |title=NASA Astronaut Paints a Picture of Success Growing Plants in Space |url=https://www.technology.org/2021/04/28/nasa-astronaut-paints-a-picture-of-success-growing-plants-in-space/ |work=Technology.org |publisher=NASA |date=28 April 2021 }}
• The 2021 Veg-03J study looked at the use of seed film in growing Extra Dwarf Pak Choi, Amara Mustard and Red Romaine Lettuce for harvesting on the ISS.{{cite press release |title=Flight Engineer Shannon Walker tends to plants - NASA |url=https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/flight-engineer-shannon-walker-tends-plants/ |publisher=NASA |date=14 January 2021 }}{{cite press release |last1=Lockhart |first1=Leejay |title=Seed Film Brings New Way to Grow Plants in Space |url=https://www.nasa.gov/science-research/seed-film-brings-new-way-to-grow-plants-in-space/ |publisher=NASA |date=26 February 2021 }}
• The 2021 VEG-03K and VEG-03L experiments looked at growing Amara mustard; the plants grew for 64 days.{{cite press release |title=Constant Gardening on the Space Station - NASA |url=https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/constant-gardening-space-station/ |publisher=NASA |date=28 April 2021 }}
• In 2024, the VEG-04A experiment looked at light quality treatments and their effects on plants across 28 days; the VEG-04B study extended this to 56 days.{{cite news |last1=Ciotola |first1=Mark |title=Plant Space Research Update |url=https://www.sustainspace.com/?p=867 |work=SustainSpace |date=13 February 2024 }}
• The VEG-05 experiment worked on growing dwarf tomatoes on the ISS.

{{div col}}

• Astrobotany
• Bioastronautics
• Biolab (payload rack on Columbus laboratory of the International Space Station)
• Bion
• BIOPAN
• Biosatellite program (series of space biology satellites and experiments)
• Endolith (long lived microorganisms that live inside rocks)
• EXPOSE (ISS experiment that tested organisms in low Earth orbit)
• List of microorganisms tested in outer space
• List of species that have landed on the Moon
• Moon tree (trees grown from Apollo 14 space-flown seeds)
• O/OREOS (orbited Halorubrum chaoviatoris and Bacillus subtilis)
• Space food (plants have formed a component of astronaut food)
• Terraforming
• The Martian, a 2015 American science fiction film in which potatoes are grown on Mars

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{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Plants in space}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20150217005740/http://spacepioneers.msu.edu/reference/websites.htm Plants in space projects]
• [http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/plant-growth-gallery-index.html STS-118 Plant Growth] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704032525/https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/plant-growth-gallery-index.html |date=4 July 2017 }}
• [https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2004/25feb_greenhouses/ Greenhouses for Mars] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928223230/https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2004/25feb_greenhouses |date=28 September 2023 }}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140518112149/http://www.tomatosphere.org/teacher-resources/teachers-guide/grades-8-10/mars-agriculture.cfm Sunlight on Mars: Is there enough light on mars to grow tomatoes?]
• [http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/Space-inspired_garden_takes_top_prize_at_UK_s_Chelsea_Garden_Show Award-winning Mars garden]
• [http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/134/1/215.full Plant biology at low atmospheric pressures] in support of Earth-orbital, lunar, or Martian plant growth facilities
• [https://soundcloud.com/scienceunderground/how-plants-know-which-way-is How Plants Know Which Way Is Up]

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Category:Life in outer space

Space

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Category:Space farming