A space capsule hurtled toward the moon Wednesday for the first time in 50 years, following a thunderous launch of NASA's mightiest rocket in a dress rehearsal for astronaut flights.

No one was on board this debut flight, just three test dummies. The capsule is headed for a wide orbit around the moon and then a return to Earth with a Pacific splashdown in about three weeks.

After years of delays and billions in cost overruns, the Space Launch System rocket roared skyward, rising from Kennedy Space Center on 8.8 million pounds (4 million kilograms) of thrust and hitting 100 mph (160 kph) within seconds.

NASA's Artemis I launch is a major step forward in humans going deeper and spending longer in space than ever before.

Future Artemis missions plan to take crew to the moon and eventually Mars, which is likely to be a three-year round-trip.

But what will the astronauts eat? There are only so many protein bars and vitamins one can tolerate and survive on for years on end.

Plants are the basis of life on Earth with their amazing ability to convert light, water and carbon dioxide (CO₂) into food, and are the logical solution to support humans in space.

The challenges of a space garden

Astronauts have already eaten space radish, chili peppers and lettuce grown on the International Space Station, and having freshly grown veggies in microgravity can support health and well-being. But there are a number of challenges in growing a flourishing space garden.

Space environments are CO₂-rich, lack soil microbes, have altered gravity, are exposed to potentially harmful solar radiation, and need to use recycled, high-salt water.