Das LEAF-Projekt der NASA wird bis 2026 Pflanzen auf dem Mond anbauen | Artemis 3, die erste Mission seit fast 50 Jahren, die Menschen zum Mond brachte, könnte auch dazu beitragen, die Landwirtschaft auf der Mondoberfläche voranzutreiben.

From the article: A mini-greenhouse, as part of NASA’s Lunar Effects on Agricultural Flora (LEAF) project, will be carried to the Moon’s surface by the Artemis 3 mission. This experiment, provisionally scheduled for 2026, aims to investigate the feasibility of cultivating crops in space — an essential step toward supporting human life on extraterrestrial planets.

Scientists want to discover the secrets to cultivating life in space by studying plant photosynthesis, growth, and stress responses under the peculiar conditions of space radiation and partial gravity. This project is more than just a scientific experiment; it is an essential basis for the long-term ambition of space exploration and settlement. Growing food beyond Earth is critical for deep-space missions and the possibility of constructing permanent bases on the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

The project is led by Space Lab Technologies and includes the University of Adelaide, La Trobe University — all Plants for Space (P4S) partners — as well as the United States Department of Agriculture, University of Colorado Boulder, and Purdue University, with additional analysis to be conducted by the P4S node at the University of Western Australia.

“This research will be a pivotal step toward understanding how we might use agriculture in space to support human crews, paving the way for sustained lunar exploration and even missions to Mars,” said project lead and Space Lab Vice President, Christine Escobar.