One of the most important experiments carried out on the International Space Station is the development of a "space garden", validating its components and studying the evolution of certain species in microgravity environments. In August last year, astronauts consumed the first "space lettuce", but now it's the turn of the first flower, an orange zinnia that, judging by official images, looks very healthy.
The Space Garden
As plans for deep space exploration accumulate, so do the requirements that will dramatically help improve and extend astronaut survival. When the movie "The Martian" presented a certain lost astronaut growing potatoes on Mars (not a spoiler because it appears in the trailer), what we saw was not a simple convenient action for the story, but something astronauts must fully master on their ships if the idea is to reach the Red Planet. The International Space Station serves as an extraordinary study platform to closely follow the growth of certain vegetables and the performance of components in this space garden, the main objective of the experiment called Veg-01.
In August last year, NASA published a video in which we can see members of Expedition 44 test the first "space lettuce" successfully. This time, the space garden produced a beautiful and bright orange zinnia, which by the way is also edible. The requirements of a zinnia are much higher compared to lettuce. While astronauts were able to taste the lettuce after a month, the zinnia demands between 60 and 80 days, not to mention its much more delicate light parameters.
The Challenges of Growing in Space
Growing in space is an extremely complicated task. Multiple proofs of this came through the old Soviet Salyut program, in which its cosmonauts tried to plant flax, onion and cabbage (among other varieties). Astronauts on the International Space Station have had to battle with lack of water, excess water, and mold formation. However, this new zinnia symbolizes all the effort and dedication of experts in orbit and on Earth. As if that weren't enough, the zinnia could become a precursor for a tomato plant. We hope to see that soon.
