No, seriously!
Bok choy, with its emerald leaves and succulent stems, unveils its earthly essence amidst the celestial expanse. Tender and refreshing, it entices the palate with a delightful balance of crunch and delicate flavors and not to mention – longer space shelf life. Now, pair it with the celestial majesty of beautiful zinnias (non-edible), their petals bursting with vibrant hues, igniting the senses with an explosion of colors. This ethereal duo beckons you to partake in a sensory adventure like no other.
Together, bok choy and zinnias are weaving tales of cosmic synergy, their coexistence in outer space representing the harmonious fusion of nature’s finest gifts. From the meticulously evaluated growth patterns on the ground and beyond to the intricately balanced flavors, these botanical wonders encapsulate the spirit of our mission to explore and cultivate sustainable life beyond Earth’s borders.
We are thrilled to share our ongoing journey working on evaluating the NASA-funded Growing Beyond Earth (GBE) grant since early 2022. Growing Beyond Earth® (GBE) is a classroom-based citizen science project operated in partnership with NASA, designed to advance NASA research on growing plants in space. It includes a series of plant experiments conducted by students in a Fairchild-designed plant habitat similar to the Vegetable Production System (Veggie) on the ISS.
As part of this extraordinary project, we have had the pleasure of delving into the realm of cultivating bok choy in over 300 schools across the US and abroad for an other worldly environment called the ISS. The vibrant green leaves and crisp texture of bok choys have taken on a whole new dimension as we continue to explore sustainable farming practices beyond the boundaries of Earth.
Read about the project here: https://fairchildgarden.org/gbe/
