
Revolutionizing Space with Stunning 'Gardens' in Orbit!
2025-05-29
Author: Ming
A Glimpse into the Future of Space Gardening
Imagine seed pods or pine cones that have exploded into an intricate design. At the heart lies a collection of unique containers designed for extraterrestrial plants, sprouting elegant, spindly arms tipped with heavy discs. Welcome to the Space Garden—a visionary project showcased recently at the Venice Biennale—that aims to launch a full-scale, plant-filled version into low Earth orbit in the next five to seven years.
Why Space Gardens Matter
This initiative isn’t just about aesthetics; it's about transforming life in space as we know it. Ariel Ekblaw, CEO of the Aurelia Institute, envisions a future where space commuting becomes commonplace, making greenery essential for a livable environment. Stuart Wood from Heatherwick Studio echoes this sentiment, emphasizing that starting with nature may lead us toward a more enriching existence beyond our planet.
History of Space Gardening
For decades, the concept of gardening in space has evolved. The first astronauts to embrace this challenge were Russian cosmonauts in the 1970s. They grew crops like onions aboard the Salyut 1 space station, paving the way for future experiments. Other flora such as tomatoes and zinnias have found their way to orbit, while a Chinese lunar probe even managed to sprout cotton seeds on the far side of the moon—albeit briefly before the extreme cold claimed them.