Growing Beyond Earth @CRES
Growing Beyond Earth Challenge: Astronauts will soon travel on spaceships far away from the Earth, first to the moon and then to Mars. To complete these long duration missions, astronauts will need fresh, healthy food to eat along the way. Fairchild and NASA would like your help designing an automatic garden that can grow fresh vegetables for astronauts during long journeys. Each year we are asked to design a garden that can be used in space based on our knowledge of gardening in our school garden here on Earth. Here are a few of our outstanding student designs. Enjoy!
2021-2022 Model Challenge: Students will draw and then construct a 3D model of a self-contained plant growth chamber inspired by NASA’s Vegetable Production System (Veggie) and include a written description of how their system will work in space.
We are so proud that another set of student scientists were selected to have their model fabricated in the Fairchild Innovation Studio. Congratulations to 5th Grade student scientists Aniika Patrucco and Jordan Weslowski! They will receive the Directors Merit Award this May at Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden where their fabricated model will be unveiled.
We are so proud that another set of student scientists were selected to have their model fabricated in the Fairchild Innovation Studio. Congratulations to 5th Grade student scientists Aniika Patrucco and Jordan Weslowski! They will receive the Directors Merit Award this May at Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden where their fabricated model will be unveiled.
2020-2021 Illustration Challenge — Design and draw a picture of an fully automatic garden that is able to care for vegetable plants by itself. Entries include a brief written description of how it works. 2nd place was awarded to Lila Schroeder & Sam De Guzman for their automated garden illustration. Great job !
2019-2020 Illustration Challenge - Design and draw a picture of an automatic garden that is able to plant seeds, care for them and harvest them in a self contained garden unit. Entries include a brief written description of how it works. 1st place award was presented to Lila Schroeder and Camila Trillos for their design, THE PLANTARAMA. This year, Emanuel Cintron also received 1st place for his Conservation Trading Card illustration of a Pine Rockland featuring a Zebra Longwing butterfly, saw palmettos, and pine snags.
2018-2019 Illustration Challenge — Design and draw a picture of compact garden provides for the needs of growing plants in a small space. Entries include a brief written description of how it works.
In 2019, we received Merit awards for our Challenge 3 ECO ATLAS and an Innovative Design award for Jackson Sanford for Challenge 2B Growing in Space: Hello from Earth! They actually made it using a 3D printer according to his blueprint design. Alexander Martinez received a 1st place for his design Challenge 2B Growing in Space: Hello from Earth!
In 2019, we received Merit awards for our Challenge 3 ECO ATLAS and an Innovative Design award for Jackson Sanford for Challenge 2B Growing in Space: Hello from Earth! They actually made it using a 3D printer according to his blueprint design. Alexander Martinez received a 1st place for his design Challenge 2B Growing in Space: Hello from Earth!
For more information about our "Butterfly Garden" which is maintained by our Garden Club and our "Feast for the Senses Veggie Garden" which is maintained by our Green Team visit our Garden Page.