After the famous harvest of lettuce on board the International Space Station (ISS) in 2015, astronaut meals can be enriched with the addition of cosmic bean. Is this the beginning of self-sufficient space stations? It would surely be another significant step.
By NASA link [Public domain]
Each astronaut dreams about food known from Earth. During their stay in space, they lack fresh food, including vegetables and fruits. In the future, however, it will be possible. A small greenhouse with several varieties of vegetables and fruits could be created in the state of weightlessness or on the surface of another planet or moon. He recently completed an experiment in which lettuce grown in space in specialized vessels supplying water, nutrients, gas and air. This was done by astronauts Scott Kelly, Kjell Lindgren and Kimiya Yui as part of the NASA Vegetable Production System (Veggie) experiment. The aim of this program is to grow plants directly in water saturated with nutrients. In the state of weightlessness, pillows concentrating water at the roots were used, otherwise the water would escape.
By NASA link [Public domain]
In space, astronauts often suffer from hunger. A small variety of meals causes a decrease in appetite and, over time, weight loss. Food for astronauts does not really resemble the food known to us from Earth. The task of cosmic food is to provide the indicated amounts of essential nutrients. The taste is of secondary importance here. In space, food has not been a pleasure until now. Fresh and real food increases your appetite. Cultivation of plants is associated with physical activity, which is also very much needed by astronauts. Therefore, cultivation of plants on the space station improves the well-being of people staying there. Scott Kelly from NASA spent 342 days aboard the ISS. This is an example of how the long stay in space affects humans. Breeding plants can significantly improve and diversify the lives of astronauts.
By NASA link [Public domain]
Cosmic plant breeding is the future. As we already know, it is possible to grow plants without gravity. If it is possible, it will also be possible to create their in laboratories on the surface of other planets. Researchers want to develop plant breeding methods for long space travel. Attempts at the space station are nothing of further travel. On the way to Mars people will have to be in space for over a year. New plant breeding solutions allow their cultivation in much worse conditions. Thanks to this plants are more and more durable and can survive with less than the amount of nutrients. Pillows moisturizing the roots give them direct contact with nutrients.
