Humanity’s First Space Flowers

iss046e040899 (February 14, 2016) --- Zinnia flowers, the first flowers grown in space, are photographed in the International Space Station’s Cupola. The Zinnia’s were grown as a part of the Veg-01 experiment, assessing on-orbit function and performance of the Veggie facility, which focuses on the growth and development of plants in space, as well as the composition of microbes on the plant and the facility. Experiments focused on plant cultivation can also boost crew morale as we learn how to grow plants in space ahead of missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.