Space Stations

Growing Zinnias In Orbit

By Keith Cowing
Press Release
February 19, 2016
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Growing Zinnias In Orbit
Zinnias Grown In Space
NASA

The zinnias are part of the flowering crop experiment that began on Nov. 16, 2015, when NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren activated the Veggie system and its rooting “pillows” containing zinnia seeds.
The challenging process of growing the zinnias provided an exceptional opportunity for scientists back on Earth to better understand how plants grow in microgravity, and for astronauts to practice doing what they’ll be tasked with on a deep space mission: autonomous gardening.

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SpaceRef co-founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.