Growing+Plants+in+Space

=//Canadians in Space / les Canadiens dans l'espace// =

A YES I Can! Science Online Collaborative Project
===Project Media Centre / centre médias du projet ===

=Growing Plants in Space= Source: NASA and YES I Can! Science

In August 2007, the STS-118 space shuttle mission launched into space, and with it launched 10 million cinnamon basil seeds. Nearly all of the seeds were returned to Earth for students to grow in plant growth chambers they designed, but 16 of the seeds were left behind on the International Space Station for an in-orbit experiment. Along with the seeds, two plant growth chambers, watering devices and drink bags were also left on the space station for Expedition 15 and 16 Flight Engineer Clayton Anderson to use to grow plants from the seeds.

media type="file" key="209112main_sts118_growing_plants.wmv" NASA: STS-118 crew talk about experiment

Anderson documented the plants' growth by photographing the plants inside the chambers every other day for nearly three weeks. The objective of the experiment was to demonstrate growing plants in a microgravity environment using small plastic chambers.
 * [[image:growth-chamber-kit.jpg caption="NASA: Growth chamber kit"]] || [[image:making-observations.jpg caption="NASA: Making observations"]] ||
 * [[image:seeds-day2.jpg caption="NASA: Growth chamber Day 2"]] || [[image:seeds-day4.jpg caption="NASA: Day 4"]] ||
 * [[image:seeds-day6.jpg caption="NASA: Day 6"]] || [[image:seeds-day8.jpg caption="NASA: Day 8"]] ||
 * [[image:seeds-day10.jpg caption="NASA: Day 10"]] || [[image:seeds-day12.jpg caption="NASA: Day 12"]] ||
 * [[image:seeds-day14.jpg caption="NASA: Day 14"]] || [[image:seeds-day16.jpg caption="NASA: Day 16"]] ||
 * [[image:seeds-day18.jpg caption="NASA: Day 18"]] || [[image:seeds-day20.jpg caption="NASA: Day 20"]] ||

The 20-day in-orbit plant growth investigation was deemed successful. The cinnamon basil seeds germinated in the microgravity environment and had some growth during the short investigation. Toward the end of the experiment, the plants appeared to have received more water than needed, causing them to slowly deteriorate.

media type="file" key="clay-plants.flv" YES I Can! Science: NASA astronaut Clay Anderson describes experiment results for YES I Can! Science project participants.

Plant growth is possible in microgravity. This fact has been proven in the past, and it was proven again with this investigation. But what will be possible in the future as NASA looks towards returning to the moon and on to Mars? Will growing plants on the moon and Mars be possible? How is the environment on the moon and Mars different from the environment on Earth and on the International Space Station? What will future plant growth chambers look like?

media type="file" key="196823main_058_Why_Scientists_Study_Plants.wmv" NASA: Why study plant growth in Space