The astronauts will eat half the crop, packaging and freezing the remainder for later analysis on Earth.
NASA’s plant experiment, called Veg-01, is being used to study the in-orbit function and performance of the plant growth facility and its rooting “pillows”, which contain the seeds.
NASA is maturing Veggie technology aboard the space station to provide future pioneers with a sustainable food supplement – a critical part of NASA’s Journey to Mars.
The first pillows were activated by Expedition 39 flight engineer Steve Swanson in May 2014.
After 33 days of growth, the plants were harvested and returned to Earth in October 2014 where they underwent food safety analysis.
The Veggie system was developed by Orbital Technologies Corp. (ORBITEC) in Madison, Wisconsin. The company’s Paul Zamprelli in the video below describes the hardware that supports plant growth.
Originally published by Cosmos as Astronauts to harvest and eat space-grown vegetables for first time
Bill Condie
Bill Condie is a science journalist based in Adelaide, Australia.
Read science facts, not fiction...
There’s never been a more important time to explain the facts, cherish evidence-based knowledge and to showcase the latest scientific, technological and engineering breakthroughs. Cosmos is published by The Royal Institution of Australia, a charity dedicated to connecting people with the world of science. Financial contributions, however big or small, help us provide access to trusted science information at a time when the world needs it most. Please support us by making a donation or purchasing a subscription today.
