Latest news with #spacefarming
The National
30-06-2025
- Science
- The National
To boldly grow: India's history-making astronaut farms in space
India 's first astronaut to step aboard the International Space Station (ISS) is carrying out a farming experiment that could help feed astronauts on future missions to the Moon and Mars. Shubhanshu Shukla, a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force, will attempt to grow mung beans and fenugreek, two edible plants, in microgravity, as part of Axiom Space's fourth private mission to the orbiting laboratory. The experiments are being carried out in partnership with India's space agency, ISRO, which is participating in the mission to help prepare for long-duration crewed flights in the future. It also marks progress for India's plans for human space flight, as it hopes to set up its own space station later this decade. 'Space farming will be a game-changer for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars because astronauts simply cannot pack months or years' worth of food in a rocket. The weight and cost would be prohibitive,' Dr Dimitra Atri, principal investigator at New York University Abu Dhabi's Space Exploration Laboratory, told The National. The research aboard Axiom-4, which launched on June 25 from Florida and docked with the ISS a day later, focuses on understanding how these plants germinate and grow in a zero-gravity environment. According to Axiom, fenugreek and mung beans were selected for their rapid growth, high nutritional value and ability to adapt to confined conditions. The mung bean seeds were pre-soaked to allow for faster germination, a technique often used in terrestrial agriculture. 'Growing fresh vegetables in space solves this logistical challenge while simultaneously producing oxygen and purifying the air, effectively transforming plants into a comprehensive life support system,' said Dr Atri. 'Additionally, tending to something green and living helps maintain astronauts' psychological well-being during extended stays on the lunar surface or the long, isolated journey to Mars.' Mr Shukla has also been working on a space microalgae experiment, growing sample bags and capturing images of the algae strains. These microscopic organisms could serve as a sustainable, nutrient-rich food source for future deep space missions, according to Axiom Space. Space farming milestones Researchers have been increasingly focusing on farming efforts in space in the past decade, so astronauts can one day produce their own food. In 2015, Nasa astronauts successfully grew red romaine lettuce on the ISS, which was the first time food had been grown, harvested and eaten in space. The lettuce was cultivated using the Veggie Growth Chamber, a portable greenhouse equipped with LED lighting and water pillows. Astronauts harvested radishes aboard the ISS in 2021 in an experiment led by Nasa's Plant Habitat-02 project. The goal was to study how edible root vegetables, like radishes, develop in space and whether they can be cultivated consistently. Experiments like these have helped scientists develop better growth chambers, study how plant genes behave or respond in space conditions and understand how different crops absorb nutrients without soil. Apart from space farming, Mr Shukla is carrying out experiments on muscle loss in microgravity and the behaviour of tardigrades, which are tiny, resilient organisms known for surviving extreme environments. He is also taking part in cognitive performance studies that monitor how astronauts adapt mentally and physically during space flight. A moment of pride for India Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a video call with Mr Shukla aboard the ISS on Saturday, during which he said the mission was a historic moment for the country. 'Today, you are farthest from your motherland, but you are closest to the hearts of 140 crore (a billion) Indians,' Mr Modi told him. Mr Shukla spoke about the challenges of adapting to space, including how basic tasks can be difficult. 'Sleeping is a big challenge … I had to tie my feet down to stay in place,' he said. He also described how Earth appears from orbit, saying: 'From space, one cannot see borders … India appears truly grand, very big … much bigger than on a map.' The astronaut brought a taste of India to orbit by offering his crewmates traditional dishes such as carrot halwa (carrot pudding), moong dal halwa (desert with lentils, ghee and milk) and mango juice. 'My fellow astronauts enjoyed the food,' he said. India's growing space ambitions India has been increasing investment in space exploration efforts, with plans to join the ranks of long-term human spacefaring nations. ISRO is preparing for its first crewed mission under the Gaganyaan programme, which aims to send Indian astronauts to low-Earth orbit aboard a domestically built spacecraft.
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Moon farming may be possible thanks to Texas scientist
AUSTIN (KXAN) — One of the biggest problems with deep space exploration is food: You either have to bring it with you or grow it. Research out of Texas A&M may make space farming a little easier. 'If we could figure out how to establish a permanent presence on the moon, that's going to help us explore further into the universe,' said Jess Atkin, a Ph.D. student at Texas A&M. Atkin, recently retired from the U.S. Air Force, is focusing on turning moon dust, also called regolith, into soil that astronauts could use to grow crops. Moon dust isn't great for crops. It lacks key nutrients that plants rely on and is devoid of nitrogen. 'All plants need nitrogen. It's one of the most limiting nutrients that plants have,' said Amelia Wolf, an assistant professor in Integrative Biology at the University of Texas in Austin. Wolf said that Earth's soil contains tiny microbes and little life forms that make farming possible. Plants rely on these microbes to bloom. Soil also differs around the world, with some soil better for crops than others. 'Different plants have different needs. Some plants really like to grow in kind of rich, fertile soil. Some plants, like desert plants, grow in very sandy soil,' Wolf said. Moon dust isn't great for any plants. That's where Atkin's work comes in. She is using a simulated regolith, made in a lab here on Earth, to test out how different fungi can bring life to dust and turn it into soil. 'We've seen that through generations, our fungi and bacteria are able to survive the harshness of the lunar regolith simulant. So we would only need to pack, you know, one small package (of the seeds coated with the fungi),' Atkin said. Atkin is also focusing on the crop. 'I chose chickpea because it's able to form relationships with microorganisms, and it actually actively recruits these relationships.' Chickpeas also can provide protein to astronauts. The downside is they take a while to grow and produce more seeds, but this also proves that plants can grow over a long term in the soil. 'Our hope is by the end of this to have it turned into a lunar soil,' Atkin said. The work is still in the early stages. NASA has provided a $150-thousand NASA Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology grant. The grant secures Atkin's work for three years. A recent internship with NASA will see some of her research into plant systems arrive on the moon as part of human's return to the moon aboard Artemis III. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
