Gardens on Mars: HI-SEAS 2

In Jade Pearls and Alien Eyeballs I talk about the journeys plants have made with us – crisscrossing the globe and leaving Earth entirely for missions in space.

There are currently 6 scientists living in a habitat dome 11 metres in diameter. They can only go outside if they’re wearing a spacesuit, they have strict water-saving regimes that allow them only 12 minutes under the shower each week and some of their meals are dehydrated astronaut rations. But these scientists aren’t astronauts; they’re part of a Mars simulation project, HI-SEAS 2, and they haven’t been blasted into space. They’re spending the next four months on the side of a mountain in Hawaii.

One of the scientists, Lucie Poulet, is researching three different sets of LED lights that could be used to grow food in inhospitable environments. She’ll be looking at which lights provide the greatest efficiency, and how much time a crew might need to spend tending their plants. But it’s hoped that the presence of the plants might also help to foster a sense of well-being – the psychological effects of greenery are under the spotlight as well.

Astronauts on long term space missions, such as a trip to Mars, would need to be able to grow some of their own food – but it’s still unclear how feasible that will be. There are numerous obstacles to overcome, and questions to answer. How will the plants be affected by different gravity? How do you keep them watered whilst avoiding leaks that put delicate equipment at risk? Will the harvested produce be safe to eat without washing? Or safe to eat full stop…?

Gardens in space are likely to be a far cry from the bountiful ‘hanging gardens’ seen in sci-fi movies – space and weight are at a premium, and the plants have to give a good