How important is astrobotany research for future space exploration efforts?
Astrobotany is going to be critical for future space exploration, particularly in the realm of providing caloric support for extended spaceflight missions. In the near future, it’s unlikely we will use plants as an oxygen source in a bioregenerative life-support system
(BLSS) because gas exchange is more easily controlled manually than relying on plants to produce enough oxygen to support a crew. The science is not precise or reliable enough to depend on just plants for oxygen. However, it will be of huge benefit to supplement caloric intake with plants in space.
The sustainability of harvesting in space is another perk that cannot go overlooked. Resupplies to the International Space Station (ISS) are necessary, but resupplies beyond the relatively short distance to the ISS could become impossible or not time or cost effective. Future missions will need to rely on sustainable plant growth to supplement caloric intake, and the added benefit is that it is supposed to be an immense help for astronauts’ mental health.
Kai Rasmussen, director of astrobotany.com