Telegraph.co.uk reports that U.S. Scientists are planning to grow Brussels sprouts on the moon. This experiment will determine whether future space colonies can produce their own food supply – a vital element for any self-sustainable colony. A mini greenhouse dubbed a “Lunar Oasis”- participant in the Google Lunar X Prize - has been developed by Paragon Space Development Corporation in Arizona, and could be on the lunar surface as soon as 2012.
Brussels sprouts, a member of the brassica family, was chosen because of its quick life cycle. The most similar experiments are the successful greenhouses which produce fruits and vegetables near the South Pole. I wonder how Paragon will combat the extreme temperature variation from ‘day’ to ‘night,’ the drastically different periods of light/dark, and other peculiarities plant life has not experienced here on Earth. Without an atmosphere (or scalable substitute) to filter radiation and trap heat the plants do not stand a chance.
NASA has goals of manned missions to the moon by 2020 and manned missions to mars by 2030. If such missions are to occur, their viability rides on the ability to grow food in space and thus tremendously cut the costs of carrying rations into orbit. In addition plants and algae may be used to filter air and create oxygen for breathing. I imagine hydroponics to be one solution because it would reduce the costs of lifting soil into orbit. Many of the essential nutrients can either be found extra-terrestrially or harvested by growing colonies of phytoplankton and zooplankton for that purpose. The process would prove complicated and extremely fragile – illustrating how good we have it here on Earth.
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