Thomas Graham, research and development manager for the University of Guelph’s Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility, was featured in a Dec. 5 story in the National Post.

The story looks at efforts by NASA and international researchers to simulate growing conditions on Mars, including plants and soil. Graham discussed altering crops to suit life in space.

At U of G, researchers are studying ways to grow crops in space and to sustain life during deep-space missions such as a trek to Mars. This includes understanding how plants can function under environmental conditions such as very low atmospheric pressures and much less oxygen.

U of G’s Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility and its Space and Advanced Life Support Agriculture program are part of Canada’s contributions to plant research and development for space and closed environment activities. U of G also has an ongoing contract with the European Space Agency’s MELiSSA Project.