NASA researching how to farm on Mars

May 22, 2013

NASA researching how to farm on Mars

Growing food on Mars may be part of NASA’s 2030 space mission

Soon astronauts may have the capacity to grow food on Mars. NASA is investigating the possibilities of farming in space. This experiment comes as the agency is preparing for its first manned Mars landing expected in the mid-2030s.

While the concept of farming on Mars may seem cool, it also poses a number of significant challenges. Research demonstrates that plants can grow in microgravity; however, scientists are unsure how reduced gravity would affect the crops. One of the key issues is this – Mars receives about half the sunlight compared to the Earth and with the use of a greenhouse would reduce sunlight even further – requiring additional lighting.

The problem is supplying lighting would require power. Scientists have been exploring the use of LED lighting to provide plants the wavelengths of lighting that they would require. Additionally, NASA researchers are also studying whether plants can even survive under lower pressures than on Earth.

Video: Spring Planting Prep Just Got Serious… We NEED This!

Getting closer to planting season means one thing… it’s time to get EVERYTHING ready.

Today didn’t go exactly as planned—we thought we’d be hauling potatoes again, but instead we spent the day digging equipment out of the cellar, hooking up the grain drill, and getting tractors ready to roll. With wheat planting just around the corner, every piece of equipment matters.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a normal day without a few problems… dead batteries, hydraulic issues, and a truck tire that absolutely refused to cooperate. We tried everything—jump packs, bead bazooka, ratchet straps… and eventually had to bring out the “big guns” just to get things moving again.

But that’s farm life—adapt, fix, and keep moving forward.

We’re getting close to go-time. Wheat seed is coming soon, and planting season is right around the corner