Growing Plants In ISS (International Space Station)

 The US space agency NASA has been experimenting with growing crops at the International Space Station. The space agency is of the view that learning how to grow crops in space would aid astronauts on long-term missions like the one to Mars without them needing to carry a lot of food with them. And now, the space agency's astronauts at the ISS have found that what was earlier a challenge could turn into a boon for growing crops in space - microgravity.

This technique was never tried in space before because even on Earth a transplant technique at such a delicate stage is risky. But, much to everyone's surprise, it worked!

Hopkins had transplanted 'Red Russian' kale and 'Extra Dwarf' pak choi, and the transplanted sprouts are growing at the same pace as the donor kale and pak choi.

While scientists managing the programme from Earth do not really know why some of the lettuce seeds did not sustain like it did in previous experiments, NASA said they were speculating that it had something to do with the seeds' low tolerance for their long storage time. The seeds for this experiment had been launched back in June 2018.

Using transplant to grow crops in space will now provide scientists with flexibility in space-based crop production, and according to Massa, it would be key in space where growing volume was at a premium.

The harvest of the crops is scheduled for February 2.