NASA’s Artemis III to Explore Plant Growing on the Moon: Everything You Need to Know | What is news

The US-based National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has chosen the first scientific instruments designed for astronauts to be deployed on the moon’s surface during Artemis III. One of them is the Moon effects on agricultural flora (SHEET). LEAF will investigate the effects of the lunar surface on space crops, observing plant photosynthesis, growth and systemic stress responses in space radiation and partial gravity.

Data on plant growth and development, along with environmental parameters measured by LEAF, will help scientists understand the use of lunar-grown plants for both human nutrition and life support on the lunar surface and beyond.

When will LEAF reach the moon?

LEAF and other select payloads have been selected for further development for use on Artemis III, scheduled for launch in 2026; However, the final manifesting decisions on the mission will be determined later. Members of these payload teams will join NASA’s Artemis III science team.

Scientists may know how to make the moon’s soil fertile

Researchers said they have found a way to make the inhospitable lunar soil fertile by introducing bacteria that increase the availability of phosphorus, an important nutrient for plants. Reuters reported.

In a study published in 2022, researchers in the United States grew a flowering weed called Arabidopsis thaliana in 12 thimble-sized containers, each containing a gram of actual lunar soil collected during NASA missions more than half a century ago .

The European Space Agency (ESA) found that although lunar samples returned to Earth contain plenty of essential minerals for plant growth, soil compacts in the presence of water, causing problems for plant germination and root growth. A statement said hydroponic farming is a practical alternative, where plant roots are nourished directly by nutrient-rich water, without the need for soil.

What other payloads have been selected for Artemis III?

The Lunar Environment Monitoring Station (LEMS) is a compact, autonomous seismometer suite designed to conduct continuous, long-term monitoring of the seismic environment, namely ground motions due to moonquakes, in the lunar south polar region. The instrument will characterize the regional structure of the moon’s crust and mantle, adding valuable information to models of moon formation and evolution.

The Lunar Dielectric Analyzer (LDA) will measure the regolith’s ability to propagate an electric field, which is a key parameter in the search for lunar volatiles, especially ice. It will collect vital information about the structure of the moon’s subsurface, monitor dielectric changes caused by the sun’s changing angle as the moon rotates, and look for possible frost or ice deposits.

Artemis III to explore the moon’s south pole

Artemis III, the first mission in more than 50 years to take astronauts to the moon’s surface, will explore the moon’s south polar region, within 6 degrees of latitude of the south pole. Several proposed landing areas for the mission are located among some of the oldest parts of the moon.

Together with the permanently shaded areas, they provide the opportunity to learn about the history of the moon through previously unstudied lunar materials.

India got there first!

On August 23, 2023, India became the first country to land a spacecraft. Chandrayaan-3, successfully reaches the moon’s south pole. The solar-powered Chandrayaan-3 module had a mission duration of just one Monday, equivalent to about 14 days on Earth. The electronics are not designed to withstand the extremely cold nighttime temperatures on the moon, which drop well below -200 degrees Celsius near the south pole.

Chandrayaan-3 collected some exciting new data about the moon regarding its composition and environment. This includes a unique temperature profile of the moon’s upper surface near the South Pole by the CHaSTE instrument (Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment).

Late Monday, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) stopped the operation of all instruments a little earlier than sunset, hoping to extend their lifespan.

From January this year, Chandrayaan-3 lander Vikram was firmly established as a landmark on the moon, after a NASA spacecraft sent laser beams to a small mirror-based instrument on board Vikram and successfully received the reflected beams.

ISRO now plans to launch Chandrayaan-4 to bring back samples from the moon within four years, Chairman S Somanath said while elaborating the space agency’s Vision 2047.

With input from authorities