Scientists are sending cannabis seeds into space
He is also not the only researcher seeking to expose plants to higher radiation levels than previously studied. Porterfield, one of the scientists working on NASA’s leaf missions, is a 2027 experiment with Moon-going plant plant growth with Artemis III and knows there is “lol nothing” about the effects of radiation exposure after low Earth orbit. Understanding how radiation variability affects plants will be a “critical focus” of leaf missions.
“We’ve been trapped in lower orbits for the past 30 years, but we haven’t done much of the basic research that requires us to go to deep spaces where we can find cosmic radiation in galaxies,” he says. “There may be some unexpected reactions from this variety of radiation sources. Plant responses to these radiation problems will be important for the future agricultural system of the moon.”
Once Mayasat-1 returns, for the next two years, Radišič and his team will work with the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia to breed generational clones from the seeds of the universe and study genetic changes and plant adaptation, including “changes in cannabinoid profiles.” The second stage of their research involves simulating Martian soil conditions and growing plants in controlled, low-gravity environments on Earth.
Olomuk, University of Palak, Cekia, and Lumir Ondo Hanusi, a chemist at the University of Jerusalem, have been studying cannabis plants since the 1970s. The research advisor on the project believes there are “many possibilities” in scientific research after seeds return.
In addition to potential genetic and epigenetic changes, the Mars growth team looks for structural and physiological changes, including leaf size, chlorophyll content, root architecture, photosynthesis rate, and water use. They can investigate what happens after plants are exposed to stressors such as disease, analyze the activity of enzyme hormones and secondary metabolites, leading to the identification of new compounds.
“We know how to grow cannabis in a space environment, as both results will be important in the future, whether there is a change or not,” adds Radisichu.
But we are actually growing cannabis on Mars, or plants for that. Microgravity, extreme temperatures, nutrient deficiencies, and toxins in the soil do not cause favorable conditions for cultivation.
“We must adapt to the Mars environment and slowly adapt the plants to survive,” says Petra Knaus, CEO of Genoplant. “For now, we believe it will only be possible (for cultivating plants) in closed system containers with adapted conditions.” For future missions, Genoplant is developing a new space capsule in this vein, which is scheduled for its first re-entry test in 2027. This allows researchers to grow seeds in space and monitor them for several years.
Cannabis could potentially become a space-age supercrap, but on Earth it is primarily considered a recreational drug (though widely used for medicinal purposes), preventing regulators and researchers from fully acknowledging its scientific potential. Hanush is optimistic that no matter what the findings from the project appear, it can dispel some of this stigma and increase scientific acceptance.
“If interesting results are published, it could speed up understanding of cannabis,” he says. “It’s a very important plant. If humanity invades space and begins living on another planet, I think there’s a big future.”