Did you know that your students could help astronauts learn to live and work in space by conducting their own crop growth experiments in Lunar or Martian soil simulant? Join the Plant the Moon or Plant Mars Challenge today!

The Plant the Moon Challenge (PTMC) is a global science experiment, citizen science research project, and transdisciplinary educational challenge where K-12 and college students conduct experiments to help NASA understand how crops grow in Lunar or Martian regolith. This unique program engages rural underserved communities in the aerospace workforce by connecting NASA technological and scientific concepts with agriculture and farming.

In the PTMC, teams of 1-5 students receive kits of Lunar or Martian regolith simulant and are guided through a 12-week experience designing, conducting, and analyzing their own scientific experiment about growing crops under the harsh conditions offered by the simulant.

All teams complete their projects by submitting research reports which are then evaluated by subject matter experts. The top teams will have the chance to showcase their results at a virtual symposium with NASA scientists, program executives, and other industry professionals. Undergraduate students are eligible to win a trip to the Kennedy Space Center!

High School and College teams from Texas are eligible to apply for TSGC funding. 

Applications for Plant The Moon are now open for the Spring competition.

For more information on how to apply for Space Grant Funding, see plantthemoon.com/grant-funding/