ESA’s weightless plants fly on a Dragon

[Waspie_Dwarf]

ESA’s weightless plants fly on a Dragon

22 April 2014 It is a race against time for ESA’s Gravi-2 experiment following launch last Friday on the Dragon space ferry. Stowed in Dragon’s cargo are lentil seeds that will be nurtured into life on the International Space Station.

Gravi-2 continues the research of its predecessor into how sensitive plants are to gravity.

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[Waspie_Dwarf]

Plants in space

Growing plants for food was a significant step in the history of mankind. Growing plants for food in space and on other planets will be necessary for exploration of our Universe.

Javier Medina from the Spanish research council CSIC explains the attraction of plants for human exploration to supply oxygen and food.

He introduces current and future experiments on the International Space Station into plants and explains the logic of these greenhouses in space.

Credit: ESA

Source: ESA - Space in Videos

[Sundew]

Plants in space

Growing plants for food was a significant step in the history of mankind. Growing plants for food in space and on other planets will be necessary for exploration of our Universe.

Javier Medina from the Spanish research council CSIC explains the attraction of plants for human exploration to supply oxygen and food.

He introduces current and future experiments on the International Space Station into plants and explains the logic of these greenhouses in space.

Credit: ESA

Source: ESA - Space in Videos

Waspie,

So since the production of oxygen was mentioned as a product, or perhaps bi-product, of growing plants in space for food, what are you thoughts on terraforming? Suppose after an exhaustive search we find no life what-so-ever on Mars. Should we try and introduce bacteria, lichens or other extremely hardy organisms to try and make Mars more habitable? I would look at it like a living planet is better than a dead one, but that's just a personal opinion. You must admit it would be quite interesting if there was a chance it would work.

Of course it may be a moot point because of the thin atmosphere, general lack of temperatures above freezing and unattenuated solar radiation.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

My thoughts on terraforming are quite simple...

1. we don't yet have the technology to do it.
   
2. it's a bit off topic.

If you want a discussion on terraforming why not start a new topic on the subject?

It's one of those subjects which is likely to generate a lot of discussion from both the technological and moral points of view and which probably deserves a separate topic of its own.