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When fantasy becomes reality: first seeds to be planted soon on Mars
© Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
The first seeds germination experiment is about to be launched on Mars (Mars Plant Experiment, MPX). Greenhouse, small transparent cube, will be attached to the outer surface of the new Mars rover, that will be launched in mid-2020 and will land on the Red Planet in early 2021. Scientists hope that this study will be useful in the development of the Mars exploration program.
During the Martian summer day soil at the equator of the planet is warming up to +20 degrees Celsius. It is tempting to plant the seeds directly into the open ground, close them with the transparent shell and pour them with water from earth. But even if the plant does not freeze at night, it will still die. The planet’s atmosphere is composed of carbon dioxide with the absence of oxygen that is essential for plants to grow in the dark. In addition, its pressure is about 160 times lower than on Earth. In such a vacuum cell gas exchange is hardly possible. However, if to open the greenhouse, it is possible to “release” the earth’s life outside, violating Martian environment.
Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/2014_05_17/When-fantasy-becomes-reality-first-seeds-to-be-planted-soon-on-Mars-2479/
