ROCKET FUEL

DESIGNING FOOD THAT ASTRONAUTS CAN GROW, HARVEST AND EAT ON LONG SPACE JOURNEYS FOR A SALAD THAT’S OUT OF THIS WORLD

Words Jennifer Stackhouse

Any new way to excite and encourage us to eat our vegies is always welcome and the latest comes from space research in the form of a delicious salad designed to feed astronauts on long space journeys. The plan is that astronauts can grow many of the ingredients on board while travelling into deep space then harvest them and create the salad. Trials have been underway for several years to grow both ornamental and edible plants in zero gravity. Astronauts have had success with French marigolds, lettuce, chilli and much more. Astronauts on the space station orbiting 400km above Earth even made tacos flavoured with a space-grown chilli. HOW IT’S DONE In space, plants are grown in specially designed grow units using hydroponics and artificial light with little added fertiliser. Following a recipe developed through a…

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Good Organic Gardening (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue #14.3

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