The greenhouse project for growing plants on Mars, a collaborative effort between the University of Florida and the Kennedy Space Center, is named “Greenhouse”. This greenhouse (or more accurately, a glass dome) is constructed from transparent materials, shaped like an inverted bell, with a diameter of 1 meter and a height of 1.2 meters. At its center is a vertical cylinder housing machinery that controls climate parameters.
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Professor Rob Ferl and his “creation” set to be taken to Mars |
In theory, the pressure inside the greenhouse should match the pressure on the surface of Mars, which is equivalent to 1/16 of Earth’s atmospheric pressure. However, currently, experimental conditions allow researchers to maintain this pressure at only about 1/4 to 1/10 of the required level. This is due to technical limitations, and the researchers aim to gradually adapt the plants inside the greenhouse to the pressure conditions.
Professor Rob Ferl from the University of Florida, who leads the Greenhouse program, indicated that scientists can induce biochemical changes by adjusting hormone concentrations and compositions to control and alter plant responses under unusual living conditions. Additionally, through these experiments, researchers have noted an intriguing phenomenon: low-pressure conditions not only create challenges but also, in some respects, provide benefits for crops.
Currently, scientists have only experimented with mature rocket lettuce, where the pressure and microclimate inside the greenhouse closely mimic conditions on Mars. However, they still rely on sunlight filtered through Earth’s atmosphere for illumination. Professor Ferl’s team has analyzed approximately 200,000 plant genes using ultra-small electronic chips, measuring just a few micrometers.
So when will it be possible to grow plants directly in Martian soil, under the natural conditions of the Red Planet? Professor Ferl does not have a precise answer yet but mentions that his team is in the final stages of this research process.
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Model of the greenhouse in the research lab |
Future Greenhouse on Mars |
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