When you think of the moon dust, craters and the black expanse probably come to mind – but no plants.
First steps: Plants in the lunar soil
In 2022, researchers at the University of Florida achieved something sensational:
They grew cress plants in real lunar soil from the Apollo missions. The lunar dust – also known as „regolith“ – is extremely low in nutrients, but the plants still germinated.
Challenges: The moon is not a garden
Of course, the moon is not exactly the ideal place for a garden. Here are a few of the biggest challenges:
- No oxygen (Sauerstoff – Wikipedia)
- No liquid water
- Extreme temperatures
- Strong radiation
- No humus, no microorganisms
In short: the moon is hostile to life. But with high-tech greenhouses, closed ecosystems and hydroponics, we could get around these problems. And this is exactly what is currently being researched worldwide.
NASA is already planning the first permanent stays on the moon with the Artemis program. China, Europe and private companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin are also pursuing similar goals.
Plants play a central role in this vision. Whether in dome-shaped greenhouses, vertical farms or even in open lunar soil with specifically adapted species – the green moon is not a question of if, but when.
What is the current situation?
We are still a long way from harvesting an apple on the moon or topping a pizza with “moon tomatoes”. But the direction is clear: wherever we go, life will follow – including green life.
The idea of gardeners working on the moon one day may still sound futuristic today. But that’s how the moon landing once sounded.
And who knows – maybe the first little cress plant is growing somewhere up there right now. A tiny leaf of hope for the great future in space.
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