Texas A&M Student Leads Breakthrough in Space Agriculture
Jess Atkin, a doctoral student at Texas A&M University, has made a groundbreaking achievement by growing chickpeas in soil made from up to 75% simulated lunar regolith according to AGRILIFE Today, Texas A&M AgriLife's digital magazine.
Her research combines agriculture and space science to explore whether life can thrive in harsh environments beyond Earth.
Inspired by the natural partnership between fungi and plants, which helped life colonize land millions of years ago, Atkin used this ancient resilience to her advantage. She enriched the lunar-like soil with helpful fungi and vermicompost. This not only improved nutrient access but also reduced toxicity in the soil, creating a more stable structure suitable for plant growth.
Chickpeas, known for their toughness and ability to grow in extreme conditions, were the focus of the study. Atkin studied 16 chickpea varieties in a USDA-supported project, identifying the most resilient strains. The experiment simulated near-space conditions to test plant and microbe performance under pressure.
NASA has highlighted the challenges of using lunar regolith due to its hazardous nature. However, Atkin’s method significantly improved the soil’s stability to Earth-like levels, bringing lunar farming closer to reality. Her findings suggest chickpeas could one day provide food and aid sustainability during long space missions.
“My grandmother could grow anything,” Atkin said. “Her greenhouse was this peaceful space where I learned about plants, soil and how everything worked together. I didn’t realize it at the time, but those moments planted a seed in me — one that eventually led me to where I am today.”
Her efforts have earned her a $150,000 NASA FINESST grant and the opportunity to work at Kennedy Space Center in the space crop production lab. Atkin continues to explore how science can answer new questions—both on Earth and beyond.
Photo credit: Michael Miller/Texas A&M AgriLife