Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams was recently in the news for growing ‘Outredgeous’ romaine lettuce to analyse its growth rates and nutritional value under microgravity. Williams has been stuck in space since June 2024.
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NASA has been experimenting with growing plants in space since the start of space exploration by humans. The space organisation aims to achieve self-sufficiency for long-term missions. Let’s learn more about it.
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Astronauts need fresh food to maintain their health on long missions as vitamins in freeze-dried foods degrade over time and lose their nutritional value. Growing plants in space can provide astronauts with essential nutrients.
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NASA’s plant experiments focus on various crops like lettuce, tomatoes and peppers. These studies help scientists understand plant growth in space. Research findings can help in growing food on Mars or other space locations in the future.
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The Veggie system on the ISS allows astronauts to grow various plants, including lettuce, kale and zinnias. It uses special techniques to maintain balanced water, nutrients and oxygen around the plant roots.
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The APH system on the ISS is a more advanced automated plant growth chamber. It monitors temperature, moisture and atmosphere to optimise plant growth. APH works without the need for astronauts to manually manage them.
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In microgravity, plants use light and environmental signals to figure out how to grow. Without gravity, roots and stems grow differently, making plant research in space important to understand how plants adapt to these unique conditions.
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Exposure to space radiation can impact plant growth. Some plants grown in space, such as berries and beans, can offer protection against radiation. They can also provide potential health benefits for astronauts on long missions.
NASA conducts studies to understand how plants in space interact with harmful microbes. However, fortunately, no harmful microbes have been found in space-grown food. This shows that plants grown aboard the ISS are safe to eat.
This small plant from the mustard family has been crucial in space plant research. It is a model organism that helps astronauts understand plant biology and how plants adapt to the varying conditions of microgravity.
Many other plants and veggies have been grown in space including zucchini, stiff brome, chile peppers, field mustard, cotton, cat grass, barrel clover, parsley, red Russian kale, spinach, radish, onions and sunflower, among others.
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