Flowers bloom in space

After a few rough weeks, Astronaut Scott Kelly helped zinnias bloom on the International Space Station (ISS).  Prior to the New Year the flowers weren’t doing well and suffered from excessive water, mold, and overdrying. Once Kelly was named an autonomous gardener, he was able to water and tend to the plants as he saw fit. The zinnias follow the production of romaine lettuce earlier this year on the ISS.  The flower is different than the lettuce since its growing period is longer and the plant is more sensitive to environmental and light characteristics.  

The good news is that the zinnias blossomed today and is a major step forward to show longer growth durations are possible.  Once the zinnias are grown without issues, astronauts can then begin experimenting with growing tomatoes.  This advancement may help to feed astronauts as they travel to other planets or on long missions away from the Earth.