A zucchini being grown on the International Space Station
Astrobotany is an applied sub-discipline of botany that is the study of plants in space environments. It is a branch of astrobiology and botany.
Astrobotany concerns both the study of extraterrestrial vegetation discovery, as well as research into the growth of terrestrial vegetation in outer space by humans.[1]
It has been a subject of study that plants may be grown in outer space typically in a weightless but pressurized controlled environment in specific space gardens.[2] In the context of human spaceflight, they can be consumed as food and/or provide a refreshing atmosphere.[3] Plants can metabolize carbon dioxide in the air to produce valuable oxygen, and can help control cabin humidity.[4] Growing plants in space may provide a psychological benefit to human spaceflight crews.[4]
The first challenge in growing plants in space is how to get plants to grow without gravity.[5] This runs into difficulties regarding the effects of gravity on root development, providing appropriate types of lighting, and other challenges. In particular, the nutrient supply to root as well as the nutrient biogeochemical cycles, and the microbiological interactions in soil-based substrates are particularly complex, but have been shown to make possible space farming in hypo- and micro-gravity.[6][7]
NASA plans to grow plants in space to help feed astronauts, and to provide psychological benefits for long-term space flight.[8]
^Briot, Danielle (2013), Vakoch, Douglas A. (ed.), "The Creator of Astrobotany, Gavriil Adrianovich Tikhov", Astrobiology, History, and Society: Life Beyond Earth and the Impact of Discovery, Advances in Astrobiology and Biogeophysics, Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer, pp. 175–185, Bibcode:2013ahs..book..175B, doi:10.1007/978-3-642-35983-5_8, ISBN 978-3-642-35983-5, retrieved 15 March 2023
^Guzman, Ana (7 April 2021). "Ways the International Space Station Helps Us Study Plant Growth in Space". NASA.
^"Plants in Space". NASA. 27 July 2016. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023.
^ abCite error: The named reference zvet was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"NASA – Getting to The Root of Plant Growth Aboard The Space Station". Archived from the original on 23 April 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
^Maggi, Federico; Pallud, Céline (November 2010). "Martian base agriculture: The effect of low gravity on water flow, nutrient cycles, and microbial biomass dynamics". Advances in Space Research. 46 (10): 1257–1265. Bibcode:2010AdSpR..46.1257M. doi:10.1016/J.ASR.2010.07.012. ISSN 0273-1177. Wikidata Q55950873.
^Maggi, Federico; Pallud, Céline (2010). "Space agriculture in micro- and hypo-gravity: A comparative study of soil hydraulics and biogeochemistry in a cropping unit on Earth, Mars, the Moon and the space station". Planetary and Space Science. 58 (14–15): 1996–2007. Bibcode:2010P&SS...58.1996M. doi:10.1016/j.pss.2010.09.025.
^Rainey, Kristine (7 August 2015). "Crew Members Sample Leafy Greens Grown on Space Station". NASA. Archived from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
Astrobotany is an applied sub-discipline of botany that is the study of plants in space environments. It is a branch of astrobiology and botany. Astrobotany...
was a pioneer in astrobiology and is considered to be the father of astrobotany. He worked as an observer at the Pulkovo Observatory from 1906 until...
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compounds, such as amino acids, are key to the study of chemistry in space. Astrobotany – Sub-discipline of botany that is the study of plants in space environments...
to crop production Arboriculture – Culture and propagation of trees Astrobotany - The study of plants in space Biotechnology – Use of plants to synthesize...
cost for human colonization of Mars." Areography (geography of Mars) Astrobotany – Study of plants grown in spacecraft Carbonates on Mars Chemical gardening –...
mechanisms) that prevents the climate ever wandering to fatal temperatures". Astrobotany – Study of plants grown in spacecraft Habitable zone – Orbits where planets...
Verhoeven We Can Remember It for You Wholesale (1966), by Philip K. Dick Astrobotany – Study of plants grown in spacecraft Climate of Mars – Climate patterns...
began July 2019 aboard the ISS. Algae as sustainable food in space Astrobotany Bioastronautics Biolab (payload rack on Columbus laboratory of the International...
the astrobotany sector of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR - and founded his own observatory. After Tikhov's death in 1960, the astrobotany sector...
v t e Botany History Outline Subdisciplines Archaeobotany Astrobotany Bryology Dendrology Ethnobotany Paleobotany Phycology Phytochemistry Phytogeography...
v t e Botany History Outline Subdisciplines Archaeobotany Astrobotany Bryology Dendrology Ethnobotany Paleobotany Phycology Phytochemistry Phytogeography...
ground. Amyloplast – starch organelle involved in sensing gravitropism Astrobotany – the field of science concerned with plants in a spaceflight environment...
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oscillations. Astheniology – study of diseases of weakening and aging. Astrobotany – study of plants in space. Astrobiology – study of extraterrestrial...
Active SETI – Attempt to send messages to intelligent extraterrestrials Astrobotany – Study of plants grown in spacecraft Astrochemistry – Study of molecules...
generation of trees that grew from the seeds carried by Roosa. Moon rock Astrobotany List of individual trees Kelly, John (23 September 2023). "In 1971, tree...
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of 10 K is much less than thought necessary to produce liquid water. Astrobotany – Study of plants grown in spacecraft Areography (geography of Mars)...
communities or drive complex organic synthesis leading to the origin of life." Astrobotany – Study of plants grown in spacecraft Astrobiology – Science concerned...
suggested in the classic The War of the Worlds (1898) of H.G. Wells. Astrobotany – Study of plants grown in spacecraft Climate engineering, also known...
Bulgarian-developed SVET space greenhouse ... "SVET Plant Growth System". astrobotany.com. Retrieved 20 July 2018. T. Ivanova, et al., First Successful Space...
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