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Space Gardening

All articles tagged with #space gardening

science13 days ago•33 min saved

Spudnik-1: Internet Freaks Out Over an Off-World Potato

NASA astronaut Don Pettit's photo of an egg-shaped potato sprouting on the International Space Station — nicknamed Spudnik-1 — sparked online fear, as many netizens mistook the tentacle-like sprouts and white cilia for an alien egg. Pettit says the tuber was part of a space-garden experiment during Expedition 72 (2024–25); in microgravity roots can grow in all directions, and the white filaments were Velcro to keep them from floating away. The potato's fate isn’t known, but the project showcases potatoes as a practical crop for growing food off Earth.

via Yahoo|

#don-pettit #international-space-station #off-world-agriculture

science16 days ago•32 min saved

Spudnik on the ISS: space garden potato steals the show

NASA astronaut Don Pettit posted a Expedition 72 photo of a bizarre tentacled object on the International Space Station; it’s actually an early purple potato nicknamed ‘Spudnik’ tied to a grow-light terrarium with Velcro. Pettit explained potatoes were grown in space as part of his off-duty gardening, noting roots behave differently in microgravity, while fans joked “kill it with fire.” The story highlights ongoing space agriculture efforts aboard the ISS and the station’s role as a long-running international lab.

via dailymail.co.uk|

#don-pettit #iss #nasa

science10 months ago•8 min saved

Orbiting Gardens: The Future of Space Agriculture

A project called Space Garden aims to send a full-sized, plant-filled greenhouse into low Earth orbit within 5-7 years to reimagine life in space, enhance astronaut well-being, and explore off-world agriculture, building on decades of plant experiments in space. The design includes aesthetic and cultural plant species, with research indicating plants can survive space conditions, though water management and long-term growth remain challenges. The initiative seeks to make space gardening more practical and inspiring for future space exploration.

via WIRED|

#off-world-agriculture #plants-in-space #science

space2 years ago•2 min saved

Lost Tomato Found: NASA's Discovery of a Space-Stranded Tomato

NASA astronaut Frank Rubio's long-lost space tomatoes, which were misplaced on the International Space Station for 8 months, have been found slightly discolored and dehydrated but with no visible microbial or fungal growth. The tomatoes were part of NASA's VEG-05 project to study crop growth in space and were grown on the space station's vegetable facility. Rubio was accused of eating the tomatoes but was vindicated after they were discovered. The tomatoes will not be returning to Earth, but plant research continues on the space station to assess genetic adaptions in plants grown in space and their transferability to future generations. Space gardening has psychological benefits for astronauts, including increased quality of life and morale.

via Business Insider|

#international-space-station #nasa #plant-research