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NASA's space gardens could make Mars missions more sustainable
NASA has figured out how to grow plants like zinnias and wheat on the International Space Station, which is a huge step for future Mars missions.
These space gardens mean astronauts can have fresh food, feel more at home, and rely less on supply rockets from Earth—making long trips way more doable.
A history of growing plants in space
The Veggie project made headlines in 2016 when astronaut Scott Kelly shared a photo of a blooming zinnia on the ISS (even after some mold drama).
Before that, Don Pettit grew sunflowers in 2012, Russia's Mir station managed wheat in the '90s, and Soviet Salyut 7 even sprouted Arabidopsis back in 1982.
Each experiment brings us closer to sustainable life beyond Earth.