NASA Wants to Build a Greenhouse on Mars

One of the major barriers to long-term survival on the red planet is food. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station eat prepackaged food, brought up by regular resupply missions. On Mars, such a steady supply is unlikely. Instead, said Clara Moskowitz for Space last year, “The first humans to live on Mars might not identify as astronauts, but farmers.” Astronauts will probably have to grow all of their own food, a daunting task. But before we can expect them to do that, scientists need to find out in food can grow on Mars at all.