Florida Tech’s Andrew Palmer is part of a team studying ways to feed people during extended space travel, such as would be required to get to Mars. They are growing radish microgreens, lettuce, and tomatoes hydroponically and in regolith similar to lunar or Martian soil and comparing the results.

“It may be that a combination of these approaches, tailored to the diverse needs of different crops, is the best way to provide sustainable and productive agriculture,” says Palmer. “Until now, there have been no direct comparison studies between hydroponic and regolith-based systems for any crop targeted for space applications.” The team hypothesizes that fast-growing crops like microgreens will be better suited for hydroponic systems, while slow-growing crops like tomatoes may fare better in regolith.

• Andrew Palmer
• Travis Hunsucker