In 1971, when the astronaut Stuart Roosa transported hundreds of seeds in a metal capsule aboard the ship with the Apollo missionthe “Artemis Moon Trees” project began, promoted by NASA and the United States Forest Service. The NASA Office of Engagement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) partnered with the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service to transport seeds of five tree species aboard the Artemis I mission as part of a national initiative. In this context, one of the seeds that was part of the Artemis I mission has given rise to a sweetgum tree at the University of Texas at Arlington.
«More than half a century ago, NASA astronaut Stuart Roosa, command module pilot of the Apollo 14 mission and former parachute firefighter with the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, carried tree seeds into lunar orbit. The Apollo 14 moon trees were grown into seedlings by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and subsequently distributed to national monuments and personalities around the world. A large number of them were distributed as part of the nation’s bicentennial celebrations,” NASA details.
The tree that grows in Texas with a seed from the Apollo mission
The initiative, originally conceived for scientific purposes and also for public dissemination, studied the effects of microgravity and space radiation on germination and the development of different species of trees, as explained The Dallas Morning News. After the return of the Apollo 14 mission, the seeds that had traveled to space were germinated and later planted in different places around the world. Five main species emerged from that experiment: loblolly pine, sycamore, sweetgum, redwood, and Douglas fir.
In 2022, the Artemis I unmanned mission sent new seeds beyond the Moon aboard the Orion capsule, which remained in space for several weeks before returning to Earth. After splashdown, the United States Department of Agriculture and the Forest Service were in charge of its germination. One of those seeds, sweet gum, was planted at the University of Texas at Arlington in April 2024, coinciding with a total solar eclipse, which gave rise to the tree that can be seen now. When it arrived on campus, the specimen measured only about 30 centimeters, but over time it adapted well to the local climate, even resisting the frosts of North Texas.
According to preliminary data shared by researcher McKenna Dowd to The Dallas Morning Newsno significant differences were observed between seeds exposed to space and those grown on Earth, as both showed similar germination rates. Beyond the scientific value, the project also represents the connection between space exploration and life on Earth.
sweetgum
Sweetgum is a tree native to North America which stands out especially for the intense reddish color that its leaves acquire during the fall, and which can currently be observed at the University of Texas. Its scientific name, Liquidambar styraciflua, refers to the resinous substance it produces, known as storax or “liquid amber”, an aromatic sap rich in rubbery compounds. The bark of the tree is rough, similar to cork, with deep cracks, and that is precisely where this resin is extracted.
Regarding its characteristics, it can reach between 20 and 30 meters highis deciduous and has palmate leaves that turn from green in spring to intense red tones in autumn. Its flowering is discreet in spring and its fruit is a thorny sphere that releases seeds when it opens. For its correct development, it needs sunny areas, moist soils and frequent watering.
Future space explorations
The NASA ESCAPADE mission has begun its journey with the aim of studying how the solar wind affects Mars and its thin atmosphere. Thanks to two spacecraft that will work in coordination, it will be possible to observe in detail for the first time the interaction between the Sun and the Martian environment. This data will be key to preparing future manned missions and improving the astronaut safety on Mars.
“The pioneering ESCAPADE duo will not only investigate what role the Sun played in turning Mars into an uninhabitable planet, but will also help guide the development of space weather protocols for solar events heading toward Mars during future human missions to the Red Planet,” said Joe Westlake, director of the Heliophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Joining the fleet of heliophysics missions across the solar system, ESCAPADE will be another weather station that will make humans and technology in space safer and more successful.”
