Summary
-Architects and space designers from the Aurelia Institute and designer Thomas Heatherwick have come up with a unique new space station concept, Space Garden, that features a number of pods, each containing plants and robotic arms to ensure the plants get the correct amount of sunlight and water. -The concept is a reimagining of what life in space could look like for humans in the future and is a sustainable way to bring nature into space. -It’s hoped that astronauts will be able to grow their own food in space to avoid relying on supplies from Earth. -While the design is currently only a model, the team is currently looking for funding to make the design a reality. -Scientists are currently testing the limits of plants in space, including testing seeds in the intense radiation of outer space and examining the survival rates of plants after taking them on long trips. -One of the biggest challenges of creating a garden in space is water management as plants uptake water at a much slower rate in space. -Examining how plants are affected by the lack of gravity and different levels of oxygen and light is key to being able to grow gardens in space.