This colorful zinnia, shown in an image from Jan. 22, 2016, grew aboard the International Space Station as part of the VEG-01 experiment. This investigation assessed the on-orbit function and performance of the Veggie facility, focusing on the growth and development of seedlings in the spaceflight environment and the composition of microbial flora on the plants and the facility. For this run, zinnias were grown for 60 days and produced flowers.
Learn more about the Veggie facility and other ways NASA grows plants in space.
Image Credit: NASA/Scott Kelly