NASA to grow flowers in space

NASA To Grow Flowers In Space For First Time

Question: Which flower has been chosen by NASA to start floriculture at International Space Station?

(a) Rose
(b) Marigold
(c) Lily
(d) Zinnia

Ans (d)

Related facts:

  • NASA after growing lettuce is now set to grow flowers at the International Space Station.
  • For this purpose NASA has chosen Zinnia, Zinnia is a genus of plants of the sunflower tribe within the daisy family.
  • Controlled Red, yellow and green light from the LED bulbs help in maintaining the environmental conditions required for the plant will be ready.
  • The Zinnias will grow for 60 days, during the growth cycle; the LED lights will be on for 10 hours and off for 14 hours in order to stimulate the plants to flower.
  • It is the first time that a flowering crop will be grown on the orbiting laboratory.
  • Growing the zinnia plants will help in advancing knowledge of how plants flower in the Veggie growth system, and will enable fruiting plants like tomatoes to be grown and eaten in space using Veggie as the in-orbit garden.
  • Growing tomato plants on the space station is planned for 2017.
  • NASA’s this plant growth systemis known by the name of “VEGGIE” This system is related to the providing nutritional food for astronauts.
  • The Veggie system was developed by Orbital Technologies Corporation (ORBITEC) in Madison, Wisconsin, and tested at Kennedy before flight.
  • According to the scientist-Growing a flowering crop is more challenging than growing a vegetative crop such as lettuce because Lighting and other environmental parameters are more critical.”

Reference:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/2015/11/16/space-grown-flowers-will-be-new-year-blooms-on-international-space-station/

https://www.nasa.gov/content/veggie-plant-growth-system-activated-on-international-space-station

https://www.nasa.gov/content/veggie-plant-growth-system-activated-on-international-space-station