Astronauts grow their first Flower in Space
It was NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, the station commander who declared that they have grown the first flower in outer space.
Back in 2012 NASA conducted a personal biology experiment which aimed at growing different plants and flowers in space. They tried to grow veggies and sunflower, in which a sunflower bloomed partially but wilted.
Zinnia Flower blooms in Space
On November 16 2015 NASA astronauts activated the veggie plant growth system. It was the first flowering crop experiment where they rooted Zinnia seeds.
The bunch of Zinnia flowers are the first flowering plants outside the Earth’s atmosphere. These edible Zinnia’s can be eaten as salads. Zinnia plants are more difficult to grow and flower as they are more sensitive to the environment. Scientists suggest that these plants pave the way for growing crops like tomatoes in outer space. This can be great news for astronauts in outer space as they will have a variety of food to eat.