ECOSTRESS: The Celestial Gardener’s Aid
This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast:
July 2, 2019
On this day, a most intriguing contraption found its berth upon that grand celestial vessel, the International Space Station.
I speak, dear readers, of NASA's ECOSTRESS, a name that might conjure images of verdant forests and babbling brooks, yet in truth represents a marvel of modern science.
ECOSTRESS, or the ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station, if one must be pedantic, embarked on a mission most noble: to measure the temperature of our earthly flora from the lofty heights of space.
One might wonder, what purpose could such an endeavor serve?
Imagine, if you will, a world where we might peer into the very essence of a plant's thirst, discerning how much water it imbibes without so much as touching a leaf.
Picture the ability to observe the effects of drought upon our green companions, not from the parched earth, but from the stars themselves!
For us gardeners, this celestial sentinel offers a window into the secret lives of plants on a scale hitherto unimagined. No longer must we rely solely on the feel of soil beneath our fingernails or the droop of a leaf to gauge the health of our botanical charges.
ECOSTRESS promises to revolutionize our understanding of plant hydration and stress responses, potentially transforming how we nurture our gardens in the face of an ever-changing climate.
As we tend to our modest plots, let us marvel at the thought that high above, this remarkable instrument watches over the vast garden of Earth, gathering knowledge that may one day trickle down to benefit even the smallest of window boxes.
And so, dear readers, as we celebrate this anniversary of scientific achievement, let us raise our watering cans in a toast to ECOSTRESS, a true friend to gardeners and botanists alike, ever vigilant in its orbital perch.
