Moon tree seedling planted in the outdoor classroom at NM Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum. Courtesy/DCA

DCA News:

A pine seed that flew around the moon and back has set its roots at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum (NMFRHM). This Moon Tree will be unveiled to the public 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, April 11 in the under-construction outdoor classroom (formerly known as the Discovery Garden) at NMFRHM, at 4100 Dripping Springs Road in Las Cruces.

In September 2023, NMFRHM Instructional Coordinator Paul Steward applied to receive one of the seeds that traveled on the Artemis I space mission and the seedling arrived at the end of April last year.

“Growing plants in off world environments is a growing field of study and this tree is a glimpse into that world,” Steward said. “By growing a seed that flew on the Artemis I Mission around the moon, visitors get to see firsthand a plant that was impacted by space … we look forward to tapping into this curiosity in upcoming events and school tours.”

Moon trees’ history began with astronaut Stuart Roosa, a former Forest Service smokejumper, who brought seeds to space on the Apollo 14 in 1971. Curator Brittany Porter researched that when the seeds arrived back on Earth, they were germinated, planted, and became the first generation of Moon Trees. This first generation of trees was disseminated to national monuments and dignitaries around the world celebrate the nation’s bicentennial.

In a nod to the legacy of Apollo 14, a “new generation“ of Moon Tree seeds traveled into lunar orbit aboard the Orion spacecraft as of part of NASA’s Artemis Program. The seeds spent about four weeks in space (Nov. 16 to Dec. 11, 2022) before returning to Earth. NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Services to fly five species of seeds aboard Artemis I.