Astronaut Scott Kelly has revealed the first flowers to bloom in space.
Nasa has already had two crops of space lettuce - now their zinnias have bloomed to produce the first flowers in space.
Dr. Gioia Massa, NASA science team lead for Veggie said in a statement, "While the plants haven’t grown perfectly, I think we have gained a lot from this, and we are learning both more about plants and fluids and also how better to operate between ground and station. Regardless of final flowering outcome we will have gained a lot.”
This triumph comes after earlier worries - as the plants weren't looking optimistic about the new year in December.
The problem was that the leaves was seeping out of the plant wicks - and engulfing the leaves. this made them 'prime real estate' for mold.
Fortunately the problem was fixed, and the plants placed under Kelly's care, leading to their current success.
So what is the next space crop? Tomatoes.
"In 2018, there are plans to launch dwarf tomato seeds to the space station," according to Nasa.
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