Olives in space

Countdown: 10, 9, 8…

A thousand years before Christ, the Phoenicians sailed across the Mediterranean, carrying olive seedlings, olive oil, and wine on their ships. The ancient Greeks fell in love with olives and vines, planting them wherever they established colonies in unknown lands. Wherever there is an olive tree, there is civilization.

…7, 6, 5…

In the summer of 2017, the Istrian Space Program launched agricultural cargo into near space. The HISTRION 5 and HISTRION 6 drones carried the finest olive oil from Fažana and the best Istrian Teran wine into the sky. It was the first mission of its kind—and only the beginning. Just like the Phoenicians and Greeks millennia ago, the Istrians are now reaching for new worlds with olives and vines.

…4, 3, 2…

Growing an olive tree on a new planet won’t be easy. In order to produce top-quality oil on Mars, we’ll need to recreate Istria’s unique conditions: the same seedlings, the same pests, the same winds… Astronauts may say, “It’s a small step for man, but a giant leap for mankind.” And the people of Fažana reply: “No problem for us!”

…1, 0—Liftoff!