Description

SpaceX's commercial resupply services will return tomatoes grown aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to Earth on April 15, 2023. These tomatoes were grown as part of the Veg-05 study, which investigated the effects of light quality and fertilizer on fruit production, microbiological safety, and nutritional value. The goal of the Veggie system on the ISS is to create a 'pick-and-eat' fresh vegetable component to food on the space station in order to increase the amount of fresh produce in astronauts' diets.

The Veggie System

The Veggie system is a plant growth unit aboard the International Space Station. In the Veggie chambers, salad plants such as leafy greens and dwarf tomatoes were grown, with each crop grown under two different LED lighting setups. Plant "pillows" - wicking sacks filled with soilless substrate and fertiliser - were used to grow them. The crew cared for the crops for 104 days, opening wicks to help seedlings sprout, providing water, thinned the seedlings, pollinated them, and monitoring their health and development.

Fresh Produce's Advantages In Space

The deterioration of vitamins and packaged food quality over time poses a significant challenge for long-duration missions into deep space. Growing a supplemental food crop is one solution to this problem. The purpose of this research is to develop horticulture standards for producing high yields of safe, nutritious dwarf tomato fruit to supplement a space diet of pre-packaged food. NASA is working to improve the nutritional value of astronauts' diets and, as a result, their overall health and well-being by providing fresh produce to them on long-duration missions.

For more Updates and Information - Visit Notopedia's Bulletin Board

For Latest Sarkari Jobs - Visit Notopedia's Sarkari Jobs Section

For access to more than 20,000 Colleges - Visit Notopedia's College Section

For School Studies and Exams Preparation across 14 Boards - Visit Notopedia's School Section

For Comprehensive Preparation of Sarkari Job Exams - Visit Notopedia's Sarkari Exams Section

For Comprehensive Preparation of Competitive Exams - Visit Notopedia's College Entrance Exams Section