LIVING ON THE MOON, FARMING ON THE MOON

An illustrated lecture will be given by

Dr. Anne Visscher, Research Fellow, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London. Lunaria One: Seed Biologist

as part of Plant Biology Team, Melbourne, Australia

For human space missions that extend beyond one or two years, resupply of large volumes and masses of food, water, and atmospheric gases becomes unrealistic. Therefore, long-duration future habitation of space will require bioregenerative life-support systems in which plants could play key roles, including atmosphere regeneration, wastewater recycling and food production. The use of in situ regolith as a seed germination and plant growth substrate may have several advantages over hydroponic systems, such as the immediate bioavailability of plant essential ions, low-tech mechanical support for plants, and easy access to in situ materials once on the surface. Since plants may play several key roles in long-term life support systems on the Moon or Mars, it is crucial to know how plant seeds should be stored and transported across space before being germinated and grown in such systems.

 All Welcome – Admission Free