{"id":142886,"date":"2022-08-18T21:03:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-19T01:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?migration=converted-node-482203"},"modified":"2023-09-29T14:56:04","modified_gmt":"2023-09-29T18:56:04","slug":"nasa-usda-forest-service-fly-next-generation-of-moon-tree-seeds-on-artemis-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/learning-resources\/nasa-usda-forest-service-fly-next-generation-of-moon-tree-seeds-on-artemis-i\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA, USDA Forest Service Fly Next Generation of Moon Tree Seeds on Artemis I"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/cradle-2_moontree.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/cradle-2_moontree.jpg?w=1536\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"A deciduous tree stands tall behind a small plaque identifying it as an Apollo Moon Tree on a grassy mound in North Carolina\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 90%; object-position: 50% 90%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/cradle-2_moontree.jpg 3024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/cradle-2_moontree.jpg?resize=225,300 225w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/cradle-2_moontree.jpg?resize=768,1024 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/cradle-2_moontree.jpg?resize=1152,1536 1152w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/cradle-2_moontree.jpg?resize=1536,2048 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/cradle-2_moontree.jpg?resize=300,400 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/cradle-2_moontree.jpg?resize=450,600 450w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/cradle-2_moontree.jpg?resize=675,900 675w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/cradle-2_moontree.jpg?resize=900,1200 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/cradle-2_moontree.jpg?resize=1500,2000 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">An American Sycamore grown from a seed that flew aboard Apollo 14 \u2013 one of the original Moon Trees \u2013 stands tall at the Cradle of Forestry, situated on the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina.  Credit: USDA Forest Service<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>In a nod to the legacy of Apollo 14, and a celebration of the future of space exploration, NASA\u2019s Office of STEM Engagement\u2019s Next Gen STEM project and the USDA Forest Service are partnering to fly a special payload aboard <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission\/artemis-i\/\">Artemis I<\/a>, NASA\u2019s first flight test of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft. Through a joint STEM education collaboration that connects Artemis I programming to Earth science, data literacy and citizen science, a \u201cnew generation\u201d of Moon Tree seeds are bound for lunar orbit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One thousand tree seeds of five different species representing a range of climates across the lower 48 United States are packed into ravioli-shaped pouches awaiting their historic journey aboard Orion, which will travel thousands of miles beyond the Moon during the mission. Nestled alongside science payloads and\u00a0mementos, the tree seeds will travel farther than any spacecraft designed for human exploration has ever flown, spending about 6 weeks in space before returning to Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Original Moon Trees Rooted in Apollo Legacy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More than a half-century ago, NASA astronaut Stuart (Stu) Roosa, the command module pilot for the Apollo 14 mission and a former USDA Forest Service smoke jumper, carried tree seeds from loblolly pine, American sycamore, sweet gum, coast redwood, and Douglas-fir trees into lunar orbit. While crewmates Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell spent two days exploring the lunar surface, Roosa conducted experiments aboard the Kitty Hawk command capsule with the first generation of Moon Tree seeds in tow, making 34 complete lunar orbits before the return trip to Earth.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Apollo 14 Moon Trees were grown into seedlings by the Forest Service and eventually disseminated to dignitaries around the world, with a large number distributed as part of the nation\u2019s bicentennial event. For a period, <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/science-news\/science-at-nasa\/2002\/13aug_moontrees\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the final location of many of the Apollo Moon Tree seeds remained a mystery<\/a>. Thanks to an inquiry from a third-grade teacher in 1996, NASA planetary scientist and lunar historian Dr. David Williams launched a campaign to locate the Apollo Moon Trees, leading to the most current <a href=\"https:\/\/nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov\/planetary\/lunar\/moon_tree.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Moon Tree database<\/a> and historical archive describing Moon Tree milestones.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Em<em>bark<\/em>ing on a new journey with Artemis I<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once again, five species of tree seeds will fly to the Moon, mirroring the selection provided to Roosa more than 50 years ago. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFour of the five species flown on the original Moon Trees mission are onboard [a NASA moon mission] again because they are common species and together represent a broad geographic area of the lower 48 states,\u201d said Dr. Kasten Dumroese, senior scientist with the USDA Forest Service. \u201cCoast redwood, with a somewhat limited natural range, was replaced with its cousin, giant sequoia, which has more widespread use in parks and arboreta. For this mission, scientists included additional seed sources for two species having large natural ranges: American sycamore and Douglas-fir. These additional seed sources will help the Moon Trees team match these species with outplanting sites to ensure longterm genetic adaptability.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ravioli.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1536\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ravioli.jpg?w=2048\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Tree seeds packed into ravioli-shaped pouches \" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ravioli.jpg 4032w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ravioli.jpg?resize=300,225 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ravioli.jpg?resize=768,576 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ravioli.jpg?resize=1024,768 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ravioli.jpg?resize=1536,1152 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ravioli.jpg?resize=2048,1536 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ravioli.jpg?resize=400,300 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ravioli.jpg?resize=600,450 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ravioli.jpg?resize=900,675 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ravioli.jpg?resize=1200,900 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/ravioli.jpg?resize=2000,1500 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The five species flying with Artemis I include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Loblolly pine (<em>Pinus taeda<\/em>): Fast-growing conifer native to the southeastern U.S.; one of the most common species in the U.S.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>American sycamore (<em>Platanus occidentalis<\/em>): Deciduous tree native to the central and eastern U.S.; known to live up to 600 years.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sweetgum (<em>Liquidambar styraciflua<\/em>): Native deciduous tree from Texas east to the Atlantic Ocean and north to the Great Lakes marked by deep glossy green star-shaped leaves.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Giant sequoia (<em>Sequoiadendron giganteum<\/em>): Native to California, a conifer with distinct red\/orange bark; known to reach ages of up to 3,400 years and among the tallest growing trees in the world.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Douglas-fir (<em>Pseudotsuga menziesii<\/em>): Native conifer to western North America; its name honors the intrepid botanist and explorer David Douglas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Back on Earth the Forest Service will germinate the new Moon Tree seeds and grow them into seedlings. Public and education institutions across the U.S. will have the opportunity to submit a proposal to serve as a Moon Tree custodian.  Information about the proposal opportunity will be released via NASA\u2019s Office of STEM Engagement no earlier than 30 days after splashdown. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stay connected with Artemis Moon Tree Opportunities, visit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/stem-content\/apply-for-an-artemis-moon-tree-seedling\/\">Branch Out with Artemis Moon Trees! Apply for an Artemis Moon Tree Seedling<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To find out how you can be a part of the Artemis mission, visit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/joinartemis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/joinartemis<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a nod to the legacy of Apollo 14, and a celebration of the future of space exploration, NASA\u2019s Office of STEM Engagement\u2019s Next Gen STEM project and the USDA Forest Service are partnering to fly a special payload aboard Artemis I, NASA\u2019s first flight test of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft. [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":147158,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2663],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[],"coauthors":[12657],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"NASA, USDA Forest Service Fly Next Generation of Moon Tree Seeds on Artemis I","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/learning-resources\/nasa-usda-forest-service-fly-next-generation-of-moon-tree-seeds-on-artemis-i\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/learning-resources\/nasa-usda-forest-service-fly-next-generation-of-moon-tree-seeds-on-artemis-i\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/cradle-2_moontree.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/cradle-2_moontree.jpg"},"articleSection":"Learning Resources","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"NASA STEM Team"}],"creator":["NASA STEM Team"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["Learning Resources"],"dateCreated":"2022-08-19T01:03:00Z","datePublished":"2022-08-19T01:03:00Z","dateModified":"2023-09-29T18:56:04Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"NASA, USDA Forest Service Fly Next Generation of Moon Tree Seeds on Artemis I\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/learning-resources\/nasa-usda-forest-service-fly-next-generation-of-moon-tree-seeds-on-artemis-i\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/cradle-2_moontree.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2022-08-19T01:03:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"Learning Resources\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"Learning Resources\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"NASA STEM Team\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":4,"time_ago":"2 years","featured_image":{"id":147158,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/cradle-2_moontree.jpg","title":"cradle-2_moontree","alt":"A deciduous tree stands tall behind a small plaque identifying it as an Apollo Moon Tree on a grassy mound in North Carolina","caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142886"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/42"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=142886"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142886\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":500090,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142886\/revisions\/500090"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/147158"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142886"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=142886"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=142886"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=142886"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=142886"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}