Space flower 🌼 This zinnia was grown in orbit as part of the Veggie facility aboard the International Space Station. Scientists have been studying plants in space since the 1970s, but this particular experiment was started on the ISS in 2015 by NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren. Our space garden isn't just for show: learning how plants develop in orbit will help us understand how to grow crops off the Earth, providing a valuable source of fresh food on long-term missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. NASAAstronauts have also grown lettuce, tomatoes, and chile peppers on the ISS, among other vegetables—with plenty more plants to come. Credit: NASA/Scott Kelly Image description: A close-up of a zinnia flower in space, with its light-orange petals in full bloom. Its tangled leaves extend up into the top-left corner of the photo. Behind the flower, the Earth can be seen out-of-focus, with the blackness of space taking up most of the image's bottom half. #NASA #Space #SpaceStation #Inter...