In a brand-new mission launched on Friday, Australian scientists are attempting to cultivate plants on the Moon by 2025, with the hope that this may help pave the way for a future colony.

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The Beresheet 2 spacecraft, a private Israeli Moon mission, will transport seeds, according to plant researcher Brett Williams of the Queensland University of Technology.

After landing, they would receive water within the tightly closed room, and their germination and growth would be watched for.

According to him, plants will be selected based on how rapidly they germinate and how well they tolerate harsh conditions.

An Australian "resurrection grass" that can survive without water in a dormant form is a possible candidate.

According to the researchers, "The project is an early step towards growing plants for food, medicine and oxygen production, which are all crucial to establishing human life on the moon."

The findings, according to Caitlin Byrt, an associate professor at Canberra's Australian National University, are also pertinent to worries about food security brought on by climate change.

Byrt stated in a statement, "If you can create a system for growing plants on the moon, then you can create a system for growing food in some of the most challenging environments on Earth."

The project is being managed by the Lunaria One organisation and involves researchers from Australia and Israel.

(With inputs from AFP)