The first head of lettuce was grown aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in 2015. As early as 2021, space-grown beans might be on the menu. Other salad items might be following. With these fresh items, there might be the first outer space vegans who eat fresh produce.
Top 1 Fact You Did Not Know: Astronauts Will Eat Fresh Produce Like Outer Space Vegans
Given modern developments, astronauts might one day thrive on fresh produce. One day, strawberries, cherry tomatoes, and other items might be possible. As early as 2021, astronauts might be growing beans in space.
Top 2 Fact You Did Not Know: Fresh Produce Will Grow in Space
Silje Wolff, a plant physiologist for CIRiS at NTNU, said that they envision a greenhouse with several vegetable types. Silje Wolff recently took part in an experiment where lettuce grew in space in regulated planters. Wolff used artificial soil derived from lava rock as the nutritional foundation for the plants. The goal, she says, is for the plants to grow in water that has nutrient supplements.
Top 3 Fact You Did Not Know: Weak Space Gravity Will Affect Plants
Weak gravity in space causes air to be more stationary there. In contrast, gravity on Earth causes cold air to sink to the Earth’s surface and warm air to rise. Because air is more stationary in space, the plant leaf temperature increases. In space air, just like how astronauts can have a low-grade fever, plants might not be able to easily regulate their temperatures.
So, while astronauts might one day eat fresh produce that is freshly grown in space, it might prove to be difficult to grow the produce. Furthermore, the produce would need to survive space temperatures and weak space gravity. For people traveling to Mars, it would mean that they would need to eat in space for at least one year. Thus, the plants would need to have their own bio system, complete with resource recycling.
