Flandrau's New "Moon Tree"
Flandrau plants a tree whose seed has orbited the moon
The Artemis I Moon Tree was planted during a ceremony on Nov. 4. Pictured from left: Mark Marley, director of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory; Kellee Campbell, Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium director; Dolores Hill, LPL senior research specialist; Carmala Garzione, dean of the College of Science; Chris Stebe, university landscape architect; Betsy Arnold, interim director of the School of Plant Sciences; and Tanya Quist, director of the Campus Arboretum.
Photos by Nick Letson
This week Flandrau welcomed a new tree to our building! This isn't any tree, either, as its seed has traveled to space and orbited the moon.
The sweetgum tree was a part of the Artemis One Mission that took place in 2022. The seed traveled farther than any human has, as the mission's purpose was to test equipment for humans to travel on it.
As the moon tree isn't native to Arizona, it needs more attention than most trees to survive our climate.
Come walk or drive by the north side of Flandrau to see the tree, which is literally and figuratively "out of this world!"
