. 24/7 Space News .
SPACE TRAVEL
A decade of plant biology in space
by Staff Writers
Paris (ESA) Jul 11, 2016


ESA's miniature space greenhouse, the European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS) with Tropi experiment. The Tropi experiments studied how Arabidopsis plants respond and grow towards light in weightlessness, as well as at lunar and martian levels. An unexpected finding was the response to red and blue light was different under simulated Moon and Mars conditions. Further experiments are under way. Image courtesy Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA. For a larger version of this image please go here.

On this day 10 years ago, Space Shuttle Discovery was launched to the International Space Station carrying ESA's European Modular Cultivation System - a miniature greenhouse to probe how plants grow in weightlessness. From looking at how plants know where to grow roots to how light can influence growth, and how the tips of plant roots bend as they grow, it is a flagship research facility on the orbiting complex.

Installed by ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter in 2006, it nurtures plants from seedlings to maturity, and allows both astronauts and research teams on the ground to intervene and change the conditions. Every aspect of the growing environment can be regulated - temperature, atmosphere, water and light - and two centrifuges simulate gravity up to twice Earth's level to compare how plants respond to different degrees of gravity.

Plants in a twirl
Charles Darwin first described how plant stems grow in a corkscrew fashion, but how it happens was unclear. The Multigen experiment showed it is driven by an interplay of light and gravity driving cell signals in the plants.

Understanding the roots of plant growth
A key finding from the mini-laboratory is how plants perceive gravity. It might seem obvious at first glance, but how does a plant know to develop its shoot upwards and send roots downwards? The Gravi-1 experiment showed that plants sense the direction of gravity even at very low levels. Gravi-2, in 2014, showed how plants use calcium to signal root growth under a range of gravity levels.

Similarly, Genera-A studied over 1400 proteins in Arabidopsis seedlings grown in microgravity and in Earth gravity, providing insights into the effect of gravity on the molecular processes regulating plant growth.

Red or blue light?
The Tropi experiments studied how Arabidopsis plants respond and grow towards light in weightlessness, as well as at lunar and martian levels. An unexpected finding was the response to red and blue light was different under simulated Moon and Mars conditions. Further experiments are under way.

Knowledge for space and Earth
These experiments are important for deep-space missions, when astronauts will rely on plants for food, oxygen and waste recycling. Establishing a human outpost on the Moon or Mars will require a certain amount of self-sufficiency, and growing plants for consumption will be essential.

We need to know how plants will grow on neighbouring planets. Will they still know which way to send their roots in reduced gravity or will they go haywire?

EMCS is not only helping scientists to prepare for far-off colonisation but also improving our knowledge of growing crops at home. The more we know about plants the better we will be able to cultivate them - on Earth, the Moon or Mars.

The facility was developed under ESA contract by the Life Science Payloads Group at Airbus DS in Friedrichshafen Germany, and is operated from Norway at the Norwegian User Support and Operations Center in Trondheim with the support of Airbus DS.


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
European Modular Cultivation System
Space Tourism, Space Transport and Space Exploration News






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

Previous Report
SPACE TRAVEL
ISS Astronauts Enjoy Dish Cooked Up by Students from Hampton, Virginia
Hampton VA (SPX) May 27, 2016
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station recently feasted on a spicy Jamaican rice and beans with coconut milk entree cooked up by a team of culinary students from Phoebus High School in Hampton, Virginia. The Phoebus team's dish won the 2015 High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware, or HUNCH, Culinary Challenge. They had to compete against six other high school cu ... read more


SPACE TRAVEL
Russia to spend $60M in 2016-2018 to fund space voyages to Moon, Mars

Russian Moon Base to Hold Up to 12 People

US may approve private venture moon mission: report

Fifty Years of Moon Dust

SPACE TRAVEL
Curiosity Mars Rover Enters Precautionary Safe Mode

Scientists' Innovation Began With 'Wanting to Understand Why'

Opportunity finishing science investigations at the center of Marathon Valley

Moons of Mars probably formed by giant impact

SPACE TRAVEL
Exploring inner space for outer space

Mathematical framework prioritizes key patterns to accelerate scientific discovery

Quantum technologies to revolutionize 21st century

Blue Origin has fourth successful rocket booster landing

SPACE TRAVEL
Dutch Radio Antenna to Depart for Moon on Chinese Mission

Chinese Space Garbageman is not a Weapon

China to launch its largest carrier rocket later this year

China committed to peaceful use of outer space

SPACE TRAVEL
New Crew Members, Including NASA Biologist, Launch to Space Station

Three astronauts blast off for ISS in upgraded Soyuz craft

Soyuz-FG to launch new crew to ISS fully assembled

Down to Earth: Returned astronaut relishes little things

SPACE TRAVEL
Russia to Continue Rocket Engine Supplies to US Under Existing Contracts

India launches 20 satellites in single mission

LSU Chemistry Experiment Aboard Historic Suborbital Space Flight

Spaceflight contracts India's PSLV to launch 12 Planet Dove nanosats

SPACE TRAVEL
Lush Venus? Searing Earth? It could have happened

A surprising planet with three suns

Teenagers at Keele University Discover Possible New Exoplanet

What Happens When You Steam a Planet

SPACE TRAVEL
Winning Students Selected for Future Engineers Star Trek Replicator Challenge

Russian Scientists Propose Charging Satellites Using Land-Based Lasers

Theoretical climbing rope could brake falls

How water gets its exceptional properties









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.