Located in Europe’s Columbus module, the NASA experiment is the latest in the study of plants growing in microgravity.
With plans to visit the Moon and Mars, future astronauts will need a regular, fresh source of food as they take on these missions farther away from home. In addition to providing much-needed vitamins and minerals, growing plants in space contribute to sustainability and add a homey touch to exploration.
Growing plants in the microgravity conditions of the International Space Station has allowed researchers to fine-tune the approach: European research showed plants respond best to red and blue light, giving the Columbus module a disco feel.
Because plants no longer have gravity to root them to the soil, the seeds are grown in ‘pillows’ that help evenly distribute fertiliser and water to the roots.
Radishes were chosen because it is a model plant; they have a short cultivation period and are genetically similar to the plant most frequently studied…