Watch Astronauts Harvest And eat the first Microgravity vegetables

Intrepid farmers are already growing veggies in shocking places, including rooftops, warehouses, and even on freeway billboards. but now leafy greens have long past where no veggies have long past sooner than: outer area.

NASA introduced this week that astronauts aboard the global space Station are going to dine on the first recent veggies grown in microgravity. The astronaut crew, together with NASA’s Scott Kelly, harvested a crop of pink romaine lettuce on Monday, and so they’ll consume half of while freezing the rest for later scientific diagnosis.

rising crops on an area mission might lend a hand nourish astronauts both physically and mentally throughout a future, much longer trip to Mars. The test, known as Veg-01, is checking out the efficiency or the “Veggie” plant increase gadget and its rooting “pillows,” which incorporate seeds. the first crop used to be harvested in could 2014, but was once sent back to Earth for testing to ensure it was fit for human consumption. This second crop, which took 33 days to develop, will now be consumed by means of the astronauts.

Developed via a Wisconsin company referred to as ORBITEC, the Veggie unit itself incorporates a red, blue, and green LED lights to develop the crops, in addition to a collapsible and expandable design to avoid wasting house. The setup mirrors equivalent indoor agriculture projects and vertical farms which are changing into an increasing number of popular on the planet.

having the ability to develop vegetables and fruit may help astronauts to Mars gain nourishment and antioxidants that offer protection to from radiation. however tending a backyard could also become a helpful interest, helping astronauts combat the boredom so as to eventually set in on a months-lengthy ride in a restrained area. NASA can be concurrently endeavor experiments on how astronauts could cook their own ingredients on long journeys and even stir fry in house. however as a minimum uncooked greens are a good start.