Welcome to the Beyond the Big Screen research guide for The Martian.

This guide includes information about exciting events and contests related to the program, ways to access the book and film, and resources to help you research the themes in The Martian.

Access the Book and Film

The Martian by Andy Weir
Call Number: PS3623.E446 M37 2014
ISBN: 9780553418026
Publication Date: 2014-10-28
Nominated as one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read. Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he's alive--and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills--and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit--he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

The Martian by Andy Weir
ISBN: 9780804139021
Publication Date: 2014-02-11
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * "Brilliant . . . a celebration of human ingenuity [and] the purest example of real-science sci-fi for many years . . . utterly compelling."--The Wall Street Journal The inspiration for the major motion picture Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he's alive--and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills--and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit--he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him? NAMED ONE OF PASTE'S BEST NOVELS OF THE DECADE "A hugely entertaining novel [that] reads like a rocket ship afire . . . Weir has fashioned in Mark Watney one of the most appealing, funny, and resourceful characters in recent fiction."--Chicago Tribune "As gripping as they come . . . You'll be rooting for Watney the whole way, groaning at every setback and laughing at his pitchblack humor. Utterly nail-biting and memorable."--Financial Times

The Martian eBook Version
Additional access to The Martian eBook courtesy of NEFLIN

The Martian is currently available to rent via streaming on Apple TV and Prime Video

The Martian by Director Ridley Scott
Call Number: AV PN1997 .M448 2015 DVD
Publication Date: 2015
After a bad storm blows across Mars, astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead and left behind. Now stuck on a hostile planet, he must find a way to signal Earth and in the meantime survive on limited supplies.

Headline Events

Screening of The Martian

Wednesday, March 1^st @ 5 PM | South Campus Wilson Center

Join fellow FSCJ students and staff for a screening of the 2015 blockbuster hit The Martian! Watch the lead character fight for survival as he is unknowingly abandoned by his crew and left stranded alone on Mars. Will he be able to find enough food, mentally survive the isolation, and conquer all that Mars throws at him? Will NASA decide it is worth the cost to save just one life and, if so, how can they do it before time runs out?

Main atrium doors open at 4:15 PM so come early to visit the art gallery and cast your vote for the "People's Choice" award. At 5 PM winners from the essay, art, and video contests will be announced, and the Video Short winners will be shown. The movie adventure will immediately follow.

Science in Action!

Tuesday, February 28^th @ 11 AM- 12 | Kent Campus E-104

It is one thing to read the science in pages of book or watch it on the Hollywood screen; it is another thing to see it in action! Come watch science brought to life as your FSCJ professors connect the concepts you learned in the classroom to the action packed events from The Martian.

Additional Events

Book Club

Join in with your professors and fellow students to discuss The Martian.

A virtual asynchronous book club is available in the "Discussions" section of the Student Life Canvas page. There are discussion prompts for the four weeks leading up to the screening of the film.

Week of Jan 30th- Feb 3rd- Alien Landscapes

Week of Feb 6th- Feb 10th- The Mission Objective

Week of Feb 13th- Feb 17th- Taking Inventory

Week of Feb 20th- 24th- System Malfunction

Robots in Space: Past, Present and Future

Monday, February 6^th @ 2:00 – 3 PM | Webex

Robots, a remarkable example of human creativity and ingenuity, are essential in our quest to explore and venture into outer space. Join Professor Alan Zube beaming in live from the FSCJ Robotics Classroom for a discussion of how robots have been at the core of space exploration, how they are being used today, and how they will shape the future of space exploration.

Earth to Mars? Can you hear me?

Thursday, February 9th @ 9:30 – 10:30 AM | Downtown Campus Library 2102Q

Trying to communicate while stranded alone on Mars and all the equipment is breaking seemed nearly impossible in The Martian, but sometimes it can seem just as impossible to communicate when the person is only 3 feet away! Come join Lisa Moore, FSCJ's Chief Diversity Equity and Inclusion Officer, to learn about how we can best convey our ideas and intents while appreciating all of our wonderfully unique backgrounds.

The Book was Better...

Monday, February 13^th @ 9:30-10:30 AM| Downtown Campus Library 2102Q

Adaptation from book to screen is rife with challenges and expectations. In this discussion, we’ll explore methods used by filmmakers to convey tone, backstory, and character visually while citing examples of success, as well as failure. Join Kevin Kimball to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of visual and written storytelling while comparing the page to what we ultimately see on screen.

How Much is Mars?

Wednesday, February 15^th @ 11 AM – 12 | South Campus Library - G300

It is one thing to just say we want to go to Mars, but it takes so much more than you might even realize to actually get there. Join Logistics Professor, Mitch Velasco in a brief exploration of the collaboration of private and public organizations, the costs, and reasons for going to Mars.

Making It on Mars

Thursday, February 16^th @ 11 AM – 12 | Kent Campus E-112F

Being a new student and stepping onto campus can feel like taking your first steps on Mars! Yes, there is excitement and happy anticipation, but also there is the stress of the unknown and what is to come. Join Billy Thomas, Dean of Behavior and Social Sciences, as he connects The Martian with the experience of being a new student on campus and not understanding the culture, hidden curriculum, and other more!

No Superpowers? No Magic? No GRAVITY?

Wednesday, February 22^nd @ 11 AM – 12 | South Campus Library - G300

Whether it’s The Martian’s being stranded on a hostile planet or Frankenstein’s monster thrust alone into the wilds of brutal society, there are so many books and movies focused on being "alone". Why do we cheer for the solitary “only one” character to survive by wits and luck, without Marvel magic or super-powers? Join Professor Rebecca Reeder to learn about these various stories and why we invest in these lone characters and root for them overcoming all odds to SURVIVE!

Contests

This year, Beyond the Big Screen is hosting an essay contest, and art contest, and a video contest related to The Martian. See below for more details.

Essay Contest Overview

In The Martian, astronaut Mark Watney finds himself stranded on Mars. As he awaits rescue, he encounters a series of challenges and even disasters that threaten his life, but he comes up with creative solutions and perseveres. In a 500 to 600-word essay, describe a time you felt like you were on your own and had to solve an important problem. Provide a narrative of your experience.

Format: The essay must be typed and have a creative title specific to the topic of your paper. The essay also must have clear paragraph designations. A submission that appears as one long paragraph will be disqualified. Using a formatting style like MLA or APA is recommended but not required.

Contest Rules:

Attach a cover sheet to the essay that includes your name, FSCJ email address and phone number.
Contest is open to FSCJ students only.
By entering this contest, you consent to having your entry displayed in FSCJ galleries.
Submission deadline is February 16th by midnight. Winners will be announced on March 1st at the showing of the movie at South Campus.
Only one entry per student will be accepted.
Essays will be judged by a panel of FSCJ faculty and staff.

Judging Criteria:

50% on addressing the theme's message
30% well-developed paragraphs and clear language
20% on originality

The essay should be organized with well-developed body paragraphs that highlight the subject's abilities and also contain minimal errors in the area of grammar, punctuation and mechanics.

Submission Deadline: February 16th 2023 by midnight. Upload your essay to this link: Submit Essay Here.

Prizes: First Place $300; Second Place: $200; Third Place: $150

For questions, email Dr. Antee at a.antee@fscj.edu

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Art Contest Overview

This contest and exhibit challenges you to think of the intersections between science and art. Create artworks that celebrate botany, engineering, technology, space, or any of the themes of scientific ingenuity and human resilience modeled in “The Martian.” All works will be displayed in the South Gallery from March 1 – 29, 2023 (closed for Spring Break).

Rules:

Any FSCJ student may submit up to two (2) artworks or digital media pieces (excluding video).
Drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, printmaking, graphic design, digital images, etc. will be accepted.
Works must be ready to hang/display when they are submitted. 2D pieces should be either framed or mounted on white or black foam core.
Please include your name and the title of the piece on the back or bottom of your work of art.

Judging: The contest will be judged by the Gallery Coordinator and two other FSCJ faculty or staff members. Visitors may vote for the Student Choice Award on March 1, 2023, prior to the screening of The Martian.

How to Submit: Drop off your work in the South Gallery, Wilson Center for the Arts, M1, Room 1110, between February 13 - 21, 2023, along with an entry form available at the Gallery. The gallery is open Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., and Friday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. For submissions after hours or any questions about the contest contact the Gallery Coordinator at l.lewis@fscj.edu.

Submission Deadline: Submissions: On or before February 21, 2023, 6 p.m.; Return of Work: March 30 – April 6, 2023

Prizes: 1st place $300; 2nd place $200; 3rd place $100; People's Choice Winner $100

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Short Video Contest Overview

Record a short video (fifteen seconds to one minute) creatively demonstrating your takeaway from the themes from the movie. These themes include:

isolation and loneliness
strength and empowerment
creativity and problem solving
resilience and endurance
collaboration and camaraderie

Rules:

Contest is open to FSCJ students only. Only one entry per student will be accepted.
You must record your own video, upload it to Canvas Studio, then submit the link and your contact information on this form.
The video cannot be less than 0:15 (15 seconds) nor longer than 1:00 (1 minute).
All videos will be recorded in 16:9 wide (landscape) not tall (portrait) format. It should be like your flat screen TV, not taller than it is wide.
Students may use props, filters or special effects if they choose to do so.
By entering this contest, you consent to having your entry shown by FSCJ events and on social media.

Judging: The judging committee comprised of FSCJ faculty and staff will watch and evaluate the submission based on overall feel and creativity. The submission that makes the strongest impression on the committee will be determined to be the winner. The video must remain posted for at least 1 year after the contest ends. The judging committee decisions are final.

How to Submit: Students will record their videos in 16:9 and upload that video to Canvas Studio. Submissions from Vimeo, YouTube or any other video platform will not be accepted by the committee. Students will create a public URL in Studio and then submit that URL/link on this form. For additional guidance on how to do this, watch these videos:

Submission Deadline: February 15 at noon.

Prizes: 1st Place $200; 2nd Place: $150; 3rd Place: $100

Additionally, the top three winners will have their videos shown before the viewing of The Martian at South Campus on March 1st.

Themes and Related Resources

Books and eBooks

Mars by Stephen James O'Meara
ISBN: 9781789142594
Publication Date: 2020-06-15
Mars is a small world with a big reputation. This mysterious, singular planet--with volcanoes that dwarf Mount Everest, a canyon system that would stretch fully across the United States, and curious landscapes that perhaps once harbored water--has fascinated us for centuries. In the most up-to-date account available of the elusive Red Planet, Stephen James O'Meara follows our longstanding love affair with this unique celestial body, from the musings of humanity's first stargazers to the imaginings of science-fiction writers, radio broadcasters, and filmmakers, to the latest images and discoveries from the Curiosity rover. The book also reviews plans for piloted missions to Mars--and what it will take for those missions to succeed.
The Future of Humanity by Michio Kaku
ISBN: 9780385542760
Publication Date: 2018-02-20
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The #1 bestselling author of The Future of the Mind traverses the frontiers of astrophysics, artificial intelligence, and technology to offer a stunning vision of man's future in space, from settling Mars to traveling to distant galaxies. We are entering a new Golden Age of space exploration. With irrepressible enthusiasm and a deep understanding of the cutting-edge research in space travel, World-renowned physicist and futurist Dr. Michio Kaku presents a compelling vision of how humanity may develop a sustainable civilization in outer space. He reveals the developments in robotics, nanotechnology, and biotechnology that may allow us to terraform and build habitable cities on Mars and beyond. He then journeys out of our solar system and discusses how new technologies such as nanoships, laser sails, and fusion rockets may actually make interstellar travel a possibility. We travel beyond our galaxy, and even beyond our universe, as Kaku investigates some of the hottest topics in science today, including warp drive, wormholes, hyperspace, parallel universes, and the multiverse. Ultimately, he shows us how humans may someday achieve a form of immortality and be able to leave our bodies entirely, laser porting to new havens in space.
The International Atlas of Mars Exploration by Philip J. Stooke
ISBN: 9780521765534
Publication Date: 2012-09-24
Covering the first five decades of the exploration of Mars, this atlas is the most detailed visual reference available. It brings together, for the first time, a wealth of information from diverse sources, featuring annotated maps, photographs, tables and detailed descriptions of every Mars mission in chronological order, from the dawn of the space age to Mars Express. Special attention is given to landing site selection, including reference to some missions that were planned but never flew. Phobos and Deimos, the tiny moons of Mars, are covered in a separate section. Contemporary maps reveal our improving knowledge of the planet's surface through the latter half of the twentieth century. Written in non-technical language, this atlas is a unique resource for anyone interested in planetary sciences, the history of space exploration and cartography, while the detailed bibliography and chart data are especially useful for academic researchers and students.
Discovering Mars by William Sheehan; Jim Bell
ISBN: 9780816532100
Publication Date: 2021-11-09
For millenia humans have considered Mars the most fascinating planet in our solar system. We've watched this Earth-like world first with the naked eye, then using telescopes, and, most recently, through robotic orbiters and landers and rovers on the surface. Historian William Sheehan and astronomer and planetary scientist Jim Bell combine their talents to tell a unique story of what we've learned by studying Mars through evolving technologies. What the eye sees as a mysterious red dot wandering through the sky becomes a blurry mirage of apparent seas, continents, and canals as viewed through Earth-based telescopes. Beginning with the Mariner and Viking missions of the 1960s and 1970s, space-based instruments and monitoring systems have flooded scientists with data on Mars's meteorology and geology, and have even sought evidence of possible existence of life-forms on or beneath the surface. This knowledge has transformed our perception of the Red Planet and has provided clues for better understanding our own blue world. Discovering Mars vividly conveys the way our understanding of this other planet has grown from earliest times to the present. The story is epic in scope--an Iliad or Odyssey for our time, at least so far largely without the folly, greed, lust, and tragedy of those ancient stories. Instead, the narrative of our quest for the Red Planet has showcased some of our species' most hopeful attributes: curiosity, cooperation, exploration, and the restless drive to understand our place in the larger universe. Sheehan and Bell have written an ambitious first draft of that narrative even as the latest chapters continue to be added both by researchers on Earth and our robotic emissaries on and around Mars, including the latest: the Perseverance rover and its Ingenuity helicopter drone, which set down in Mars's Jezero Crater in February 2021.

Articles

Structure, dynamics, and seasonal variability of the Mars‐solar wind interaction: MAVEN Solar Wind Ion Analyzer in‐flight performance and science results
Halekas, Ruhunusiri, S., Harada, Y., Collinson, G., Mitchell, D. L., Mazelle, C., McFadden, J. P., Connerney, J. E. P., Espley, J. R., Eparvier, F., Luhmann, J. G., & Jakosky, B. M. (2017). Structure, dynamics, and seasonal variability of the Mars‐solar wind interaction: MAVEN Solar Wind Ion Analyzer in‐flight performance and science results. Journal of Geophysical Research. Space Physics, 122(1), 547–578. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JA023167
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We report on the in‐flight performance of the Solar Wind Ion Analyzer (SWIA) and observations of the Mars‐solar wind interaction made during the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) prime mission and a portion of its extended mission, covering 0.85 Martian years. We describe the data products returned by SWIA and discuss the proper handling of measurements made with different mechanical attenuator states and telemetry modes, and the effects of penetrating and scattered backgrounds, limited phase space coverage, and multi‐ion populations on SWIA observations. SWIA directly measures solar wind protons and alpha particles upstream from Mars. SWIA also provides proxy measurements of solar wind and neutral densities based on products of charge exchange between the solar wind and the hydrogen corona. Together, upstream and proxy observations provide a complete record of the solar wind experienced by Mars, enabling organization of the structure, dynamics, and ion escape from the magnetosphere. We observe an interaction that varies with season and solar wind conditions. Solar wind dynamic pressure, Mach number, and extreme ultraviolet flux all affect the bow shock location. We confirm the occurrence of order‐of‐magnitude seasonal variations of the hydrogen corona. We find that solar wind Alfvén waves, which provide an additional energy input to Mars, vary over the mission. At most times, only weak mass loading occurs upstream from the bow shock. However, during periods with near‐radial interplanetary magnetic fields, structures consistent with Short Large Amplitude Magnetic Structures and their wakes form upstream, dramatically reconfiguring the Martian bow shock and magnetosphere. Key Points SWIA provides direct and proxy measurements of solar wind input to Mars The Mars‐solar wind interaction varies with solar wind conditions and season Mars only perturbs the upstream medium weakly, except during radial IMF
Dust tides and rapid meridional motions in the Martian atmosphere during major dust storms
Wu, Li, T., Zhang, X., Li, J., & Cui, J. (2020). Dust tides and rapid meridional motions in the Martian atmosphere during major dust storms. Nature Communications, 11(1), 614–614. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-14510-x
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The atmosphere of Mars is strongly affected by the spatial and temporal variability of airborne dust. However, global dust variability within a sol (Martian day) is still poorly understood. Although short-term dynamic processes are crucial, detailed comparisons of simulated diurnal variations are limited by relatively sparse observations. Here, we report the discovery of ubiquitous, strong diurnal tides of dust in the Southern Hemisphere of Mars. Driven by the westward-propagating migrating diurnal thermal tide, zonally distributed dust fronts slosh back and forth in a wide latitudinal range of up to 40° within one sol during major dust storms. Dust tides-tidal transport of dust in this way-rapidly transport heat and constituents meridionally, allowing moist air near the summer pole to be rapidly transported to lower latitudes during the night, where it then can be lifted by daytime deep convection and contribute to hydrogen escape from Mars during global dust storms.
Alternate oscillations of Martian hydrogen and oxygen upper atmospheres during a major dust storm
Masunaga, Terada, N., Yoshida, N., Nakamura, Y., Kuroda, T., Yoshioka, K., Suzuki, Y., Nakagawa, H., Kimura, T., Tsuchiya, F., Murakami, G., Yamazaki, A., Usui, T., & Yoshikawa, I. (2022). Alternate oscillations of Martian hydrogen and oxygen upper atmospheres during a major dust storm. Nature Communications, 13(1), 6609–6609. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-34224-6
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Dust storms on Mars play a role in transporting water from its lower to upper atmosphere, seasonally enhancing hydrogen escape. However, it remains unclear how water is diurnally transported during a dust storm and how its elements, hydrogen and oxygen, are subsequently influenced in the upper atmosphere. Here, we use multi-spacecraft and space telescope observations obtained during a major dust storm in Mars Year 33 to show that hydrogen abundance in the upper atmosphere gradually increases because of water supply above an altitude of 60 km, while oxygen abundance temporarily decreases via water ice absorption, catalytic loss, or downward transportation. Additionally, atmospheric waves modulate dust and water transportations, causing alternate oscillations of hydrogen and oxygen abundances in the upper atmosphere. If dust- and wave-driven couplings of the Martian lower and upper atmospheres are common in dust storms, with increasing escape of hydrogen, oxygen will less efficiently escape from the upper atmosphere, leading to a more oxidized atmosphere. These findings provide insights regarding Mars’ water loss history and its redox state, which are crucial for understanding the Martian habitable environment. Dust storms on Mars drive water escape to space. Here, the authors show the impact Martian dust storms have on the abundance of atmospheric hydrogen and oxygen, and how this helps to overall oxidize the Martian atmosphere.
Impact cratering as a cause of climate change, surface alteration, and resurfacing during the early history of Mars
Palumbo, & Head, J. W. (2018). Impact cratering as a cause of climate change, surface alteration, and resurfacing during the early history of Mars. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 53(4), 687–725. https://doi.org/10.1111/maps.13001
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Ancient valley networks (VNs) and related open‐ and closed‐basin lakes are testimony to the presence of flowing liquid water on the surface of Mars in the Late Noachian and Early Hesperian. Uncertain, however, has been the mechanism responsible for causing the necessary rainfall and runoff and/or snowfall and subsequent melting. Impact cratering has been proposed (e.g., Segura et al. 2002) as a process for temporarily raising temperatures and inducing conditions that would produce rainfall, snowmelt, runoff, and formation of the VNs and associated lacustrine features. We refer to the collective effects of this process as the ICASE model (impact cratering atmospheric/surface effects). In this contribution, we assess the proposed impact cratering mechanism in order to understand its climatic implications for early Mars: we outline the step‐by‐step events in the cratering process and explore the predictions for atmospheric and surface geological consequences. For large and basin‐scale impacts, rainfall should be globally and homogeneously distributed and characterized by very high temperatures. Rainfall rates are predicted to be high, ~2 m yr−1, similar to rates in tropical rainforests on Earth, and runoff rates are correspondingly very high. These predicted characteristics do not seem to be consistent with the observed VNs, which are mainly equatorial and not homogeneous in their distribution. Prior to the Late Noachian, however, we predict that basin‐scale impact effects are very likely to contribute significantly to degradation of crater rims and regional smoothing of terrain, implying vast resurfacing and resetting of crater ages following large crater and basin‐scale impacts. Furthermore, the high temperatures of impact‐induced rainwater and snowmelt and the pervasive penetration of heat into the regolith substrate are predicted to have a significant influence on the mineralogical alteration of the crust and its resulting physical properties. We conclude by describing a case example (Isidis basin) and describe how the ICASE model provides an alternative scenario for the interpretation of the layered phyllosilicates in the Nili Fossae and NE Sytris regions. We outline specific conclusions and recommendations designed to improve the ICASE model and to promote further understanding of its implications for the geological, mineralogical, and climate history of early Mars.

Videos

Websites

Mars 2020 Mission Perseverance Rover
Mission Name: Mars 2020
Rover Name: Perseverance
Main Job: Seek signs of ancient life and collect samples of rock and regolith (broken rock and soil) for possible return to Earth.
Launch: July 30, 2020
Landing: Feb. 18, 2021, Jezero Crater, Mars
Tech Demo: The Mars Helicopter completed its 30-day technology demonstration and is now in its new operations demo phase.
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
Mission Status Currently Operating
Mars Orbit Insertion March 10, 2006
Launched August 12, 2005
Launch Site Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

Books and eBooks

NASA and American Space Exploration by Sherman Hanson; Johnnie Doyle
ISBN: 1536141496
Publication Date: 2018-08-21
This book presents an overview of NASA's past operations and provides detailed accounts of some current missions and how they will form the future of space exploration.
The Future of Space Exploration: Implications for the Global and Private Sectors by Zena Moeller (Editor); Kelly Morris (Editor)
ISBN: 1536141461
Publication Date: 2018-09-14
This book details current international collaborations in space exploration and outlines a path for inclusion of private sector space missions.
Beyond LEO : human health issues for deep space exploration by Reynolds, Robert J.
ISBN: 1789855098
Publication Date: 2020
Interplanetary Robots by Rod Pyle
ISBN: 9781633885028
Publication Date: 2019-01-29
This insider's perspective examines incredible missions of robotic spacecraft to every corner of our solar system and beyond.

Articles

Preparing for the crewed Mars journey: microbiota dynamics in the confined Mars500 habitat during simulated Mars flight and landing
Schwendner, Mahnert, A., Koskinen, K., Moissl-Eichinger, C., Barczyk, S., Wirth, R., Berg, G., & Rettberg, P. (2017). Preparing for the crewed Mars journey: microbiota dynamics in the confined Mars500 habitat during simulated Mars flight and landing. Microbiome, 5(1), 129–129. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-017-0345-8
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The Mars500 project was conceived as the first full duration simulation of a crewed return flight to Mars. For 520 days, six crew members lived confined in a specifically designed spacecraft mock-up. The herein described "MIcrobial ecology of Confined Habitats and humAn health" (MICHA) experiment was implemented to acquire comprehensive microbiota data from this unique, confined manned habitat, to retrieve important information on the occurring microbiota dynamics, the microbial load and diversity in the air and on various surfaces. In total, 360 samples from 20 (9 air, 11 surface) locations were taken at 18 time-points and processed by extensive cultivation, PhyloChip and next generation sequencing (NGS) of 16S rRNA gene amplicons. Cultivation assays revealed a Staphylococcus and Bacillus-dominated microbial community on various surfaces, with an average microbial load that did not exceed the allowed limits for ISS in-flight requirements indicating adequate maintenance of the facility. Areas with high human activity were identified as hotspots for microbial accumulation. Despite substantial fluctuation with respect to microbial diversity and abundance throughout the experiment, the location within the facility and the confinement duration were identified as factors significantly shaping the microbial diversity and composition, with the crew representing the main source for microbial dispersal. Opportunistic pathogens, stress-tolerant or potentially mobile element-bearing microorganisms were predicted to be prevalent throughout the confinement, while the overall microbial diversity dropped significantly over time. Our findings clearly indicate that under confined conditions, the community structure remains a highly dynamic system which adapts to the prevailing habitat and micro-conditions. Since a sterile environment is not achievable, these dynamics need to be monitored to avoid spreading of highly resistant or potentially pathogenic microorganisms and a potentially harmful decrease of microbial diversity. If necessary, countermeasures are required, to maintain a healthy, diverse balance of beneficial, neutral and opportunistic pathogenic microorganisms. Our results serve as an important data collection for (i) future risk estimations of crewed space flight, (ii) an optimized design and planning of a spacecraft mission and (iii) for the selection of appropriate microbial monitoring approaches and potential countermeasures, to ensure a microbiologically safe space-flight environment.
Biologically-Based and Physiochemical Life Support and In Situ Resource Utilization for Exploration of the Solar System—Reviewing the Current State and Defining Future Development Needs
Keller, Ryan J., et al. “Biologically-Based and Physiochemical Life Support and In Situ Resource Utilization for Exploration of the Solar System—Reviewing the Current State and Defining Future Development Needs.” Life (Basel, Switzerland), vol. 11, no. 8, 2021, p. 844–, https://doi.org/10.3390/life11080844.
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The future of long-duration spaceflight missions will place our vehicles and crew outside of the comfort of low-Earth orbit. Luxuries of quick resupply and frequent crew changes will not be available. Future missions will have to be adapted to low resource environments and be suited to use resources at their destinations to complete the latter parts of the mission. This includes the production of food, oxygen, and return fuel for human flight. In this chapter, we performed a review of the current literature, and offer a vision for the implementation of cyanobacteria-based bio-regenerative life support systems and in situ resource utilization during long duration expeditions, using the Moon and Mars for examples. Much work has been done to understand the nutritional benefits of cyanobacteria and their ability to survive in extreme environments like what is expected on other celestial objects. Fuel production is still in its infancy, but cyanobacterial production of methane is a promising front. In this chapter, we put forth a vision of a three-stage reactor system for regolith processing, nutritional and atmospheric production, and biofuel production as well as diving into what that system will look like during flight and a discussion on containment considerations.
Additive Manufacturing Under Lunar Gravity and Microgravity
Reitz, Lotz, C., Gerdes, N., Linke, S., Olsen, E., Pflieger, K., Sohrt, S., Ernst, M., Taschner, P., Neumann, J., Stoll, E., & Overmeyer, L. (2021). Additive Manufacturing Under Lunar Gravity and Microgravity. Microgravity Science and Technology, 33(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12217-021-09878-4
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Mankind is setting to colonize space, for which the manufacturing of habitats, tools, spare parts and other infrastructure is required. Commercial manufacturing processes are already well engineered under standard conditions on Earth, which means under Earth’s gravity and atmosphere. Based on the literature review, additive manufacturing under lunar and other space gravitational conditions have only been researched to a very limited extent. Especially, additive manufacturing offers many advantages, as it can produce complex structures while saving resources. The materials used do not have to be taken along on the mission, they can even be mined and processed on-site. The Einstein-Elevator offers a unique test environment for experiments under different gravitational conditions. Laser experiments on selectively melting regolith simulant are successfully conducted under lunar gravity and microgravity. The created samples are characterized in terms of their geometry, mass and porosity. These experiments are the first additive manufacturing tests under lunar gravity worldwide.
A Makerspace for Life Support Systems in Space
Snyder, Walsh, D., Carr, P. A., & Rothschild, L. J. (2019). A Makerspace for Life Support Systems in Space. Trends in Biotechnology (Regular Ed.), 37(11), 1164–1174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2019.05.003
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Human space exploration and settlement will require leaps forward in life support for environmental management and healthcare. Life support systems must efficiently use nonrenewable resources packed from Earth while increasingly relying on resources available locally in space. On-demand production of components and materials (e.g., 3D printing and synthetic biology) holds promise to satisfy the evolving set of supplies necessary to outfit human missions to space. We consider here life support systems for missions planned in the 2020s, and discuss how the maker and 'do-it-yourself' (DIY) biology communities can develop rapid, on-demand manufacturing techniques and platforms to address these needs. This Opinion invites the diverse maker community into building the next generation of flight hardware for near-term space exploration. To establish a human settlement on the moon or Mars, NASA needs reliable life support systems that efficiently use nonrenewable resources packed from Earth while relying increasingly on resources available locally in space – solar energy and biological resources.Equipment for the life support system will need repair during multiyear missions. Earth will resupply when possible, but the crew will also make components in their own habitat during the mission.Both mechanical and biological ultra-low size, weight, and power (UL-SWaP) devices satisfy such technology gaps to continually maintain a habitable atmosphere.As pioneers of rapid prototyping on limited resources, the maker community could propel space travel forward by developing technologies consistent with the needs of human missions: efficient (UL-SWaP), automated, networked, and modular.
Designing Procedure Execution Tools with Emerging Technologies for Future Astronauts
Karasinski, Torron Valverde, I. C., Brosnahan, H. L., Gale, J. W., Kim, R., Yashar, M., & Marquez, J. J. (2021). Designing Procedure Execution Tools with Emerging Technologies for Future Astronauts. Applied Sciences, 11(4), 1607–. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11041607
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NASA’s human spaceflight efforts are moving towards long-duration exploration missions requiring asynchronous communication between onboard crew and an increasingly remote ground support. In current missions aboard the International Space Station, there is a near real-time communication loop between Mission Control Center and astronauts. This communication is essential today to support operations, maintenance, and science requirements onboard, without which many tasks would no longer be feasible. As NASA takes the next leap into a new era of human space exploration, new methods and tools compensating for the lack of continuous, real-time communication must be explored. The Human-Computer Interaction Group at NASA Ames Research Center has been investigating emerging technologies and their applicability to increase crew autonomy in missions beyond low Earth orbit. Interactions using augmented reality and the Internet of Things have been researched as possibilities to facilitate usability within procedure execution operations. This paper outlines four research efforts that included technology demonstrations and usability studies with prototype procedure tools implementing emerging technologies. The studies address habitat feedback integration, analogous procedure testing, task completion management, and crew training. Through these technology demonstrations and usability studies, we find that low- to medium-fidelity prototypes, evaluated early in the design process, are both effective for garnering stakeholder buy-in and developing requirements for future systems. In this paper, we present the findings of the usability studies for each project and discuss ways in which these emerging technologies can be integrated into future human spaceflight operations.

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Websites

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is America’s civil space program and the global leader in space exploration.
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At its 20 centers and facilities across the country – and the only National Laboratory in space – NASA studies Earth, including its climate, our Sun, and our solar system and beyond. We conduct research, testing, and development to advance aeronautics, including electric propulsion and supersonic flight. We develop and fund space technologies that will enable future exploration and benefit life on Earth.

NASA also leads a Moon to Mars exploration approach, which includes working with U.S. industry, international partners, and academia to develop new technology, and send science research and soon humans to explore the Moon on Artemis missions that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet. In addition to those major missions, the agency shares what it learns so that its information can make life better for people worldwide. For example, companies use NASA discoveries and technologies to create new products for the public. To ensure future success for the agency and the nation, NASA also supports education efforts in STEM with an emphasis on increasing diversity in our future workforce.
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) works to help all countries, especially developing countries, access and leverage the benefits of space to accelerate sustainable development.

Books and eBooks

Solitary by Terry Allen Kupers
ISBN: 9780520292239
Publication Date: 2017-09-05
"When I testify in court, I am often asked: 'What is the damage of long-term solitary confinement?' . . . Many prisoners emerge from prison after years in solitary with very serious psychiatric symptoms even though outwardly they may appear emotionally stable. The damage from isolation is dreadfully real." --Terry Allen Kupers Imagine spending nearly twenty-four hours a day alone, confined to an eight-by-ten-foot windowless cell. This is the reality of approximately one hundred thousand inmates in solitary confinement in the United States today. Terry Allen Kupers, one of the nation's foremost experts on the mental health effects of solitary confinement, tells the powerful stories of the inmates he has interviewed while investigating prison conditions during the past forty years. Touring supermax security prisons as a forensic psychiatrist, Kupers has met prisoners who have been viciously beaten or raped, subdued with immobilizing gas, or ignored in the face of urgent medical and psychiatric needs. Kupers criticizes the physical and psychological abuse of prisoners and then offers rehabilitative alternatives to supermax isolation. Solitary is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the true damage that solitary confinement inflicts on individuals living in isolation as well as on our society as a whole.
Psychology of Loneliness by Sarah J. Bevinn
ISBN: 9781617612145
Publication Date: 2011-01-01
Feelings of loneliness are central to the human experience. Therefore, because loneliness is an inherent human condition, operating on a cognitive and affective level, most individuals experience loneliness at some time across the life-span. Loneliness is a unique and multidimensional phenomenon that represents the extent to which an individual's perceived social network is either smaller or less satisfying than they desire. This book presents current research in the study of loneliness including such topics as loneliness in childhood and consequences for psychosocial adjustment and academic performance; the elderly and loneliness; loneliness in sexual offenders; the influence of age and gender on the experience of loneliness; the loneliness of undergraduate students studying abroad; gay, lesbian and bisexual adolescents and loneliness; and population density and loneliness.
Loneliness by Danielle L. Rhodes
ISBN: 9781634826402
Publication Date: 2015-01-01
Loneliness is a current phenomenon that is not only influenced by personal characteristics but also by contextual conditions, resulting in cross-cultural variations in the ways in which we experience and cope with loneliness. This book presents data on loneliness in romantic relationships among emerging adults; children's and adolescents' experience of loneliness and social dissatisfaction in the context of social, economic and cultural changes, and a review on the existing literature on the antecedents of psychological loneliness with special emphasis on emotional factors. It is widely acknowledged that individuals with autism spectrum disorders spend a lot of time in isolation, since they have difficulties interacting with peers or significant others. The most prevalence and promising interventions for overcoming loneliness in these individuals is critically evaluated in this book and suggestions for improvements and further research are made. The authors of other chapters also discuss the role of loneliness in the dynamic that leads some victimized adolescents to attack their peers; the need for effective treatments targeting loneliness; the relationship between dying and loneliness; the psychological effects of loneliness in immigrants parents and their relationship to anger; and finally, the factors that may predict the level of loneliness among immigrants (including self-esteem, contact with national peers, gender and duration of residence).

Articles

Psychological and behavioral changes during confinement in a 520-day simulated interplanetary mission to mars
Basner, Dinges, D. F., Mollicone, D. J., Savelev, I., Ecker, A. J., Di Antonio, A., Jones, C. W., Hyder, E. C., Kan, K., Morukov, B. V., & Sutton, J. P. (2014). Psychological and behavioral changes during confinement in a 520-day simulated interplanetary mission to mars. PloS One, 9(3), e93298–e93298. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0093298
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Behavioral health risks are among the most serious and difficult to mitigate risks of confinement in space craft during long-duration space exploration missions. We report on behavioral and psychological reactions of a multinational crew of 6 healthy males confined in a 550 m(3) chamber for 520 days during the first Earth-based, high-fidelity simulated mission to Mars. Rest-activity of crewmembers was objectively measured throughout the mission with wrist-worn actigraphs. Once weekly throughout the mission crewmembers completed the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Profile of Moods State short form (POMS), conflict questionnaire, the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT-B), and series of visual analogue scales on stress and fatigue. We observed substantial inter-individual differences in the behavioral responses of crewmembers to the prolonged mission confinement and isolation. The crewmember with the highest average POMS total mood disturbance score throughout the mission also reported symptoms of depression in 93% of mission weeks, which reached mild-to-moderate levels in >10% of mission weeks. Conflicts with mission control were reported five times more often than conflicts among crewmembers. Two crewmembers who had the highest ratings of stress and physical exhaustion accounted for 85% of the perceived conflicts. One of them developed a persistent sleep onset insomnia with ratings of poor sleep quality, which resulted in chronic partial sleep deprivation, elevated ratings of daytime tiredness, and frequent deficits in behavioral alertness. Sleep-wake timing was altered in two other crewmembers, beginning in the first few months of the mission and persisting throughout. Two crewmembers showed neither behavioral disturbances nor reports of psychological distress during the 17-month period of mission confinement. These results highlight the importance of identifying behavioral, psychological, and biological markers of characteristics that predispose prospective crewmembers to both effective and ineffective behavioral reactions during the confinement of prolonged spaceflight, to inform crew selection, training, and individualized countermeasures.
Health challenges including behavioral problems in long-duration spaceflight
Doarn, Polk, J., & Shepanek, M. (2019). Health challenges including behavioral problems in long-duration spaceflight. Neurology India, 67(8), 190–195. https://doi.org/10.4103/0028-3886.259116
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Over the past 60 years, our ability to live and work in space has evolved. From short sojourns in small spacecraft to landing on the moon and residing in an orbiting international space station, we have learned to adapt to an extreme environment and safely return home. Human missions to the Moon, Mars, and exploration of deep space are different. This paper summarizes the challenges of providing medical care, specifically mental health care during long-duration flights. Considerable information about challenges that crews bound for Mars will face is available. Literature regarding this issue is summarized. This manuscript provides a short historical summary of long-duration spaceflight to date; the challenges including limited communication with mission controllers on Earth; and, a summary of the behavioral impacts space flight has had on humans. A look at how the future autonomous systems might support physical and mental health when definitive care is millions of miles away, is also provided. Human spaceflight to Mars or other distant sites will require new approaches to mission preparedness and inflight medical support systems. Exploration class missions will be more autonomous than anything deployed until now. The concepts of telemedicine that have aptly supported crews from the 1960s to the present will no longer be in real-time. While communication between Earth and Mars is possible, it will be characterized by significant time delays. Mars-based crews will need to have systems onboard and on Mars to support all health and performance issues.
Typologies of loneliness, living alone and social isolation, and their associations with physical and mental health
SMITH, & VICTOR, C. (2019). Typologies of loneliness, living alone and social isolation, and their associations with physical and mental health. Ageing and Society, 39(8), 1709–1730. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X18000132
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The relationship between living alone, loneliness and social isolation, and how they are associated with health remain contentious. We sought to explore typologies based on shared experiences of loneliness, social isolation and living alone using Latent Class Analysis and determine how these groups may differ in terms of their physical and mental health. We used Wave 7 of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (N = 7,032; mean age = 67.3) and responses to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) loneliness scale, household composition, participation in social/societal activities plus frequency of contact with friends, family and relatives for the Latent Class Analysis. The optimal number of groups was identified using model-fit criteria. The socio-demographic characteristics of groups and health outcomes were explored using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. We identified a six-cluster typology: Group 1, no loneliness or isolation; Group 2, moderate loneliness; Group 3, living alone; Group 4, moderate isolation; Group 5, moderate loneliness, living alone; and Group 6, high loneliness, moderate isolation (with high likelihood of living alone). Groups experiencing loneliness and/or isolation were more likely to report poorer physical and mental health even after adjusting for socio-demographic confounders, this was particularly notable for Group 6. Our results indicate that different typologies of living alone, loneliness and isolation can be identified using data-driven techniques, and can be differentiated by the number and severity of issues they experience.
The effects of social isolation stress and discrimination on mental health
Brandt, Liu, S., Heim, C., & Heinz, A. (2022). The effects of social isolation stress and discrimination on mental health. Translational Psychiatry, 12(1), 398–398. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-022-02178-4
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Social isolation and discrimination are growing public health concerns associated with poor physical and mental health. They are risk factors for increased morbidity and mortality and reduced quality of life. Despite their detrimental effects on health, there is a lack of knowledge regarding translation across the domains of experimental research, clinical studies, and real-life applications. Here, we review and synthesize evidence from basic research in animals and humans to clinical translation and interventions. Animal models indicate that social separation stress, particularly in early life, activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and interacts with monoaminergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic neurotransmitter systems, inducing long-lasting reductions in serotonin turnover and alterations in dopamine receptor sensitivity. These findings are of particular importance for human social isolation stress, as effects of social isolation stress on the same neurotransmitter systems have been implicated in addictive, psychotic, and affective disorders. Children may be particularly vulnerable due to lasting effects of social isolation and discrimination stress on the developing brain. The effects of social isolation and loneliness are pronounced in the context of social exclusion due to discrimination and racism, during widespread infectious disease related containment strategies such as quarantine, and in older persons due to sociodemographic changes. This highlights the importance of new strategies for social inclusion and outreach, including gender, culture, and socially sensitive telemedicine and digital interventions for mental health care.

Videos

Websites

How astronauts take care of their mental health in space
This is a toolkit for educators and youth, provided by the Canadian government.
NASA- Behavioral Health
This is NASA's page on the behavioral health services for astronauts.

Articles

Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Lettuce Grown in Different Mixtures of Monogastric-Based Manure With Lunar and Martian Soils
Duri, Pannico, A., Petropoulos, S. A., Caporale, A. G., Adamo, P., Graziani, G., Ritieni, A., De Pascale, S., & Rouphael, Y. (2022). Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Lettuce Grown in Different Mixtures of Monogastric-Based Manure With Lunar and Martian Soils. Frontiers in Nutrition (Lausanne), 9, 890786–890786. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.890786
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The supplementation of bioactive compounds in astronaut's diets is undeniable, especially in the extreme and inhospitable habitat of future space settlements. This study aims to enhance the Martian and Lunar regolith fertility (testing two commercial simulants) through the provision of organic matter (manure) as established by resource utilization (ISRU) approach. In this perspective, we obtained 8 different substrates after mixing Mojave Mars Simulant (MMS-1) or Lunar Highlands Simulant (LHS-1), with four different rates of manure (0, 10, 30, and 50%, w/w) from monogastric animals. Then, we assessed how these substrates can modulate fresh yield, organic acid, carotenoid content, antioxidant activity, and phenolic profile of lettuce plants ( L.). Regarding fresh biomass production, MMS-1-amended substrates recorded higher yields than LHS-1-ones; plants grown on a 70:30 MMS-1/manure mixture produced the highest foliar biomass. Moreover, we found an increase in lutein and β-carotene content by + 181 and + 263%, respectively, when applying the highest percentage of manure (50%) compared with pure simulants or less-amended mixtures. The 50:50 MMS-1/manure treatment also contained the highest amounts of individual and total organic acids, especially malate content. The highest antioxidant activity for the ABTS assay was recorded when no manure was added. The highest content of total hydroxycinnamic acids was observed when no manure was added, whereas ferulic acid content (most abundant compound) was the highest in 70:30 simulant/manure treatment, as well as in pure LHS-1 simulant. The flavonoid content was the highest in pure-simulant treatment (for most of the compounds), resulting in the highest total flavonoid and total phenol content. Our findings indicate that the addition of manure at specific rates (30%) may increase the biomass production of lettuce plants cultivated in MMS-1 simulant, while the phytochemical composition is variably affected by manure addition, depending on the stimulant. Therefore, the agronomic practice of manure amendment showed promising results; however, it must be tested with other species or in combination with other factors, such as fertilization rates and biostimulants application, to verify its applicability in space colonies for food production purposes.
Eu:CROPIS – “Euglena gracilis: Combined Regenerative Organic-food Production in Space” - A Space Experiment Testing Biological Life Support Systems Under Lunar And Martian Gravity
Hauslage, Strauch, S. M., Eßmann, O., Haag, F. W. M., Richter, P., Krüger, J., Stoltze, J., Becker, I., Nasir, A., Bornemann, G., Müller, H., Delovski, T., Berger, T., Rutczynska, A., Marsalek, K., & Lebert, M. (2018). Eu:CROPIS – “Euglena gracilis: Combined Regenerative Organic-food Production in Space” - A Space Experiment Testing Biological Life Support Systems Under Lunar And Martian Gravity. Microgravity Science and Technology, 30(6), 933–942. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12217-018-9654-1
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Human space exploration needs stable life support systems for the supply of oxygen, water and food for each human explorer due to long term missions. The most promising approach for building stable life support systems is a combination of physico-chemical and biological systems. These hybrid systems combine the reliability of physico-chemical and the sustainability of biological life support systems. Also the disadvantages, which are the finite resources of physico-chemical and the imperfect reliability of biological systems, are mutually balanced. To improve the reliability of biological life support systems, a combination of different biological systems may stabilize the whole approach during long term operations. The satellite mission Eu:CROPIS ( Euglena gracilis : Combined Regenerative Organic-food Production In Space) is a testbed for investigating the behavior of combined biological life support systems under the influence of altered gravity, here, Lunar and Martian gravity. The core systems are a biological trickle filter for processing urine into a fertilizer solution via nitrification and Euglena gracilis , a photosynthetic protist which is able to produce oxygen and biomass while protecting the whole system against high ammonia concentrations.
Long-Term Space Nutrition: A Scoping Review
Tang, Rising, H. H., Majji, M., & Brown, R. D. (2021). Long-Term Space Nutrition: A Scoping Review. Nutrients, 14(1), 194–. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14010194
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This scoping review aimed to identify current evidence and gaps in the field of long-term space nutrition. Specifically, the review targeted critical nutritional needs during long-term manned missions in outer space in addition to the essential components of a sustainable space nutrition system for meeting these needs. The search phrase "space food and the survival of astronauts in long-term missions" was used to collect the initial 5432 articles from seven Chinese and seven English databases. From these articles, two independent reviewers screened titles and abstracts to identify 218 articles for full-text reviews based on three themes and 18 keyword combinations as eligibility criteria. The results suggest that it is possible to address short-term adverse environmental factors and nutritional deficiencies by adopting effective dietary measures, selecting the right types of foods and supplements, and engaging in specific sustainable food production and eating practices. However, to support self-sufficiency during long-term space exploration, the most optimal and sustainable space nutrition systems are likely to be supported primarily by fresh food production, natural unprocessed foods as diets, nutrient recycling of food scraps and cultivation systems, and the establishment of closed-loop biospheres or landscape-based space habitats as long-term life support systems.
Understanding Reduced Gravity Effects on Early Plant Development Before Attempting Life-Support Farming in the Moon and Mars
Medina, Manzano, A., Villacampa, A., Ciska, M., & Herranz, R. (2021). Understanding Reduced Gravity Effects on Early Plant Development Before Attempting Life-Support Farming in the Moon and Mars. Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspas.2021.729154
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Plants are a necessary component of any system of bioregenerative life-support for human space exploration. For this purpose, plants must be capable of surviving and adapting to gravity levels different from the Earth gravity, namely microgravity, as it exists on board of spacecrafts orbiting the Earth, and partial- g, as it exists on the surface of the Moon or Mars. Gravity is a fundamental environmental factor for driving plant growth and development through gravitropism. Exposure to real or simulated microgravity produces a stress response in plants, which show cellular alterations and gene expression reprogramming. Partial- g studies have been performed in the ISS using centrifuges and in ground based facilities, by implementing adaptations in them. Seedlings and cell cultures were used in these studies. The Mars gravity level is capable of stimulating the gravitropic response of the roots and preserving the auxin polar transport. Furthermore, whereas Moon gravity produces alterations comparable, or even stronger than microgravity, the intensity of the alterations found at Mars gravity was milder. An adaptive response has been found in these experiments, showing upregulation of WRKY transcription factors involved in acclimation. This knowledge must be improved by incorporating plants to the coming projects of Moon exploration.

Videos

Websites

Growing Plants in Space
This website is an overview of NASA's various initiatives to grow plants in space.
So You Want to Be a Space Farmer...
This article from NASA details how researchers are learning to grow plants in orbit to prepare us for living on other planets.