国际空间站内第一朵花开放
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have successfully grown a flower, for the first time in orbit.
国际空间站内的宇航员首次成功在站内种植出一株开花的百日菊。
Scott Kelly of the U.S. space agency NASA tweeted that a zinnia has flowered in the microgravity environment of the orbiting laboratory.
She also tweeted the photo of an orange flower with 13 petals.
A NASA article explained that zinnias were chosen not for their beauty but to "help scientists understand how plants flower and grow in microgravity."
Previously, other plants such as wheat and romaine lettuce have been grown in space.
More crops will be sent to the space station this year, including Chinese cabbage and romaine lettuce. NASA says the lessons learned from these plants will help grow tomatoes in 2018.