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what are the benefits of growing plants in space

by Nils Ward Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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5 Reasons Why Proper Plant Spacing Is the Best Thing You Can Do for Your Garden

  1. Nutrient Intake. Plants require nutrients. ...
  2. Disease Management. Put 20 children in a classroom with one sick kid, and quite a few are bound to end up with the same sickness.
  3. Weeding. Weed management is vital to promote healthy plants. ...
  4. Ease of Harvest. Harvesting is so much easier when your plants are spaced appropriately. ...
  5. Increased Yield. ...

The ability of plants to provide a source of food and recycle carbon dioxide into breathable oxygen may prove critical for astronauts who will live in space for months at a time. In addition, plants provide a sense of well-being.Nov 27, 2012

Full Answer

Could space-grown plants help humans live in space?

Space-grown plants could also supplement astronauts’ packaged diet with fresh nutritious produce. While it’s not yet happening yet in a large volume, plants grown on spacecraft could also potentially reduce carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, as well as provide potable water through transpiration

Why do we grow plants on spacecraft?

There are other reasons for growing plants on spacecraft, too—not just for future missions to Mars, but for astronauts currently living on the ISS. Fresh food provides valuable nutrients and antioxidants, as well as variety from the dried and packaged fare that makes up most of an astronaut’s diet.

What are the benefits of planting plants in buildings?

When plants are used on the walls and roofs of buildings, the results are positive too: Plants reduce energy usage. Plants extend roof lives. Plants moderate temperatures in hot spots. Plants even can provide fresh vegetables for building occupants.

Why study plant physiology in space?

Studying plants in space can lead to new insights into plant physiology. Astronauts may need to be able to grow their own food on future long-distance space expeditions. Research into how plants grow in novel and challenging environments has benefits for us here on Earth.

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Do plants grow better in space?

But astronauts have grown several varieties of lettuce, radishes, peas, zinnias, and sunflowers, and they do just fine. “Plants are very adaptive, and they have to be—they can't run away,” says Gioia Massa, a scientist at NASA's Kennedy Space Center who studies plants in microgravity.

What happens when you grow a plant in space?

0:383:25How Astronauts Grow Plants In Space - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipOne study published in the journal BMC plant biology discussed small white flowers that grew inMoreOne study published in the journal BMC plant biology discussed small white flowers that grew in space to see how well they would grow without a lot of gravity.

Why is growing food in space important?

Not only will the fresh food provide astronauts with the essential nutrients their bodies require, but it may also boost crew morale. NASA scientists believe that consuming fresh food has the potential to improve an astronaut's mental health when they are isolated far from home.

Why are plants important for us in terms of surviving in space?

Plants in space provide numerous benefits to the humans that accompany them. They improve the quality of indoor air by helping control humidity levels, and by removing and converting the carbon dioxide from air into essential oxygen that humans can breathe.

How Long Can plants survive in space?

Primitive plants survive almost two years in outer space.

How does gravity affect plant growth?

Plants respond directly to Earth's gravitational attraction, and also to light. Stems grow upward, or away from the center of Earth, and towards light. Roots grow downward, or towards the center of Earth, and away from light. These responses to external stimuli are called tropisms.

Can we grow plants on moon?

The answer to the first question is a resounding yes. Plants can grow in lunar regolith. They are not as robust as plants grown in Earth soil. Or even as those in the control group grown in a lunar simulant made from volcanic ash.

Can we grow safe and nutritious food in space?

Lettuce that was grown in space has been analyzed and shows evidence that the crops can be grown and consumed by astronauts during space travel. Growing safe and healthy food in space is important for human space travel.

Why are astronauts trying to grow fresh fruit and vegetables in space?

Veggie's purpose is to help NASA study plant growth in microgravity, while adding fresh food to the astronauts' diet and enhancing happiness and well-being on the orbiting laboratory. The Veggie garden is about the size of a carry-on piece of luggage and typically holds six plants.

What is the most important thing in space?

Stardust: It's the Most Important Stuff in the Universe | Time.

What would happen to a tree in space?

Trees can grow in orbit, but good luck finding a pot big enough on the Space Station… Experiments on the ISS have shown that young spruce tree seedlings do grow in microgravity, but they don't look quite the same. The seedlings grow faster, and the pine needles don't point downward so much.

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