The Lunar Effects on Agricultural Flora (LEAF) experiment is planned for the Artemis III mission, which at the time of writing was scheduled for 2026. It will be the US space agency’s first attempt to grow plants on the Moon.
Astronauts will carry miniature growth chambers to the lunar surface. The chambers shield the plants from excess radiation, sunlight and vacuum. Inside, duckweed, thale cress and a cabbage relative will grow. Each plant was chosen for a reason: researchers think all three could matter for future human settlements on the Moon.
Thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) made the list because its genome is fully mapped, so scientists can pinpoint exactly how radiation changes its DNA.
Duckweed is known for being hardy and fast growing. On Earth it can quickly cover entire ponds and lakes, and in space those traits work in people’s favor. On the Moon, duckweed could become a source of oxygen. With no roots or stems and a spherical shape, the tiny plant should cope well with space conditions.
The third plant, Brassica rapa, is a fast-growing relative of cabbage and broccoli. Early estimates suggest it could help feed a future lunar colony.
Christine Escobar, vice president of Space Lab Technologies, the company that built the smart mini greenhouses, says the research will be a key step toward understanding how farming in space can support human crews, opening the way to sustainable exploration of the Moon and even missions to Mars.
Plants have been grown in space before, in experiments aboard the International Space Station. On the Moon itself, this will be a first.
