Astronauts on the ISS will eat food they grew themselves in space!

What a big step for space exploration! Everything from colonization to the complexity of the mental state in space can be improved with this one.

It makes me proud to be alive and witness the importance of these little sparks of human ingenuity. All this one day could very well open new horizons and possibly even save the human race.

Source

Fresh food grown in the microgravity environment of space officially is on the menu for the first time for NASA astronauts on the International Space Station.

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. As NASA moves toward long-duration exploration missions farther into the solar system, Veggie will be a resource for crew food growth and consumption. It also could be used by astronauts for recreational gardening activities during deep space missions.

"There is evidence that supports fresh foods, such as tomatoes, blueberries and red lettuce are a good source of antioxidants. Having fresh food like these available in space could have a positive impact on people's moods and also could provide some protection against radiation in space," Wheeler said.

A little video explaining the process they went through and what they have planned for the future:

Good for them, farmers and farming have now moved off-planet. The logical next step: Brewing beer in space.

a reply to: Aleister

I was thinking more in space bacon... But, beer wouldn't be bad.

a reply to: Aleister

Heineken is on it...

they should be experts at growing veggies in space by now, I remember school children used to send science experiments up into space and growing plants was one of them and that was decades ago
in reality they might have better (gourmet) food choices than we do here on the ground at home

a reply to: blacktie


They should have had a moonbase by now also...

Or wait..

I wonder if they'll be adding their own "manure" to the soil, and grow some tasty 'taters.

Yeah, I'm reading The Martian right now.

I guess the biggest unanswered question is, are the GMO veggies or real ones?

My bet is on corn. It will grow anywhere. The veggies mentioned in the article would require a hydroponic "greenhouse", but underground.

I would even bet money that what they test will be GMO corn first....and I am not the first to hear...Paul....Shhhhhh...They're listening....

a reply to: Tardacus

A good question... However i wouldn't be too worried if they used them in space, if it's one of the requirements in terms of health and safety of course.

For example:

GMO's that may have a higher tolerance to cosmic radiation wouldn't be necessarily a bad thing, right?



BUT, if they can use the real deal, i'd prefer to go with it.

a reply to: Syllar

At least you didn't effing prove alien existence with your thread......Thanks for that!

www.abovetopsecret.com...

I say keep yours even though it was later!

a reply to: Syllar
If they don't stop having so many ISS resupply rockets blowing up and destroying all the replacement food supplies, they might have to grow their own food to eat! They've had what, three re-supply missions fail in the last year?

OK it's not that serious yet, but those failures are supposed to be spaced further apart and not happen so close together.

In any case this is a nice milestone, thanks for sharing.

a reply to: Arbitrageur

Exactly! that and all expenses related to launches can be avoided... The fuel, materials, etc, etc.

Hadn't thought about that yet, so thank you.

originally posted by: Syllar
a reply to: Arbitrageur

Exactly! that and all expenses related to launches can be avoided... The fuel, materials, etc, etc.

Hadn't thought about that yet, so thank you.

Well my reply was a bit tongue in cheek since I doubt they can grow enough food yet to be self sustaining now, but that is something to consider as a possible goal in the future. The re-supply missions also include CO2 scrubbers, though I don't know if they can get plants to consume enough CO2 to also cut back on the need for CO2 scrubbing. If they can, that would kill two birds with one stone. I'm guessing the ISS probably can't reach such goals with its design, but a larger orbital habitat like the one in the movie "Elysium" might.