Biology: Concepts and Investigations 2nd Edition by Mariëlle Hoefnagels

Exercise 54

Long-term space travel will require the construction of on-board "closed loop" ecosystems that will produce food and oxygen for astronauts. Suppose you are a NASA engineer designing such an ecosystem. Brainstorm the characteristics of the ideal space plant. Which microbes would you need to include? How would the astronauts interact with the ecosystem? What problems can you foresee with growing plants in space?