The First Zinnia Grown In Space

[Dryson]

(CNN)To boldly grow where no man has grown before.

That has been the mission of astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for nearly two years, where they have tried to cultivate edible plants in microgravity.

But now, after a few failed growth cycles, it seems the team's efforts are finally blossoming, with their first ever bunch of zinnia flowers blooming in space.

U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly tweeted a photo of one of the orange flowers, writing: "First ever flower grown in space makes its debut! #SpaceFlower #zinnia #YearInSpace".

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/18/world...ace-flower-iss0845PMStoryLink&linkId=20464200

Without soil but grown in an air or mist environment. If Trees can be grown in the same manner as the zinnia are able to be grown without soil then providing oxygen for colonies on Mars wouldn't as difficult as the trees could be suspended above the ground where they would then be fed a rich supply of carbon dioxide. Which if the selected tree species remain consistent with the article then the trees would also possibly grow three times faster than normal. This is one experiment that would necessitate going to the Moon again to further this type of experiment where if the ability to grow trees aeroponically creates a tree that is cable of producing oxygen then colonizing the Moon will be seen as a rather easy task to complete. Then would come Mars and the rest of the Sol System.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

The problem for growing plants in microgravity is gravitropism.

http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/562190main_LS4_Gravitropism_C4.pdf
http://www.howplantswork.com/2012/12/16/plants-in-space/

The Moon and Mars are not microgravitic environments.

 

[Dryson]

The problem for growing plants in microgravity is gravitropism.

http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/562190main_LS4_Gravitropism_C4.pdf
http://www.howplantswork.com/2012/12/16/plants-in-space/

The Moon and Mars are not microgravitic environments.

Aeroponics is the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment without the use of soil or an aggregate medium (known asgeoponics).

Others have observed that shoots of plants kept in the dark still grow up and roots still grow down, so light was also ruled out as the sole reason plants grow the way they do.

Roots grow down most likely because of the push of gravity against them from an outside force or that the plant roots seek out the strongest and closest gravitational force present. The plant grows upwards because it is a result of work and energy consumption.

NASA has also been able to grow lettuce and wheat using the aeroponic process. Being able to grow food stuffs on the Moon without soil makes the Moon prime real estate to grown food stuffs that can then be consumed on Earth or sent to Mars or the deep space habitat NASA has been directed to build by the U.S. Congress.

The advantage of Spacial Aeroponics is that there are not any insects or bacteria to cause crop damage which pesticides are used to treat that further cause problems for humans.

As long as there is a source of gravity present the plants will grow.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Root systems have problems developing in microgravity. Stems manage alright provided there is a light source toward which they can grow (phototropism). Otherwise, I don't think we're disagreeing.

 

[Dryson]

Root systems have problems developing in microgravity. Stems manage alright provided there is a light source toward which they can grow (phototropism). Otherwise, I don't think we're disagreeing.

http://www.bioedonline.org/lessons-...function/how-does-gravity-affect-root-growth/

Based on what I have read about plants growing in microgravity the microgravity does not cause problems but actually increases the the growth rate of the plants by 3 because the roots do not have to deal with pushing down through the soil which would cause the plant to use more energy or fuel that would be otherwise used to increase the growth rate of the plant itself.