The first growth test of crops in the Advanced Plant Habitat aboard the International Space Station yielded great results. Arabidopsis seeds – small flowering plants related to cabbage and mustard – grew for about six weeks, and dwarf wheat for five weeks.

How long can plants live in space?

It seems some plants can survive half an hour in a near-vacuum. Vacuum-like conditions are hostile to life both because they lack oxygen needed for respiration and because water, a component of many living things, boils quickly at low pressure.

Can plants survive in space without oxygen?

Yes, it is. Plants need oxygen to survive, and plant cells are constantly using oxygen. Under certain circumstances, plant cells need to take in more oxygen from the air than they generate themselves.