Students plant seeds to help NASA farm in space
The project began its second year in early September when teachers from 115 schools in and around Miami met at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables, Florida, to receive growing stations similar to the ones astronauts and scientists use for space research. The containers use LED lights in shades of red, blue, and this year white, along with a fertilizer mix that approximates what seeds would find in orbit.
The students and teachers are planting different varieties to see how they grow. The plants grown were chosen in part by how little is known about them. In other words, the students will perform research that will help show NASA scientists which plants are good candidates to try to grow in space.
Two years into the partnership, the schools have tested dozens of edible, leafy plants. The classrooms upload data to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden where the Fairchild and NASA team review results. They also are required to post weekly social media photos tracking the progress of their plants.
Gioia Massa, NASA payload scientist for Veggie and the rest of the science team have been working to answer questions about growing plants in space for several years during their research at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The work paid off dramatically during several recent missions as astronauts grew red romaine lettuce plants and zinnia flowers in orbit aboard the International Space Station. Veggie is sponsored by NASA's Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications.
The astronauts even sampled the fresh flavors of some of the lettuce. NASA hopes astronauts on deep-space exploration missions such as those to Mars can take along seed packs to grow a portion of their food during the voyages. The goal is not to provide a major food source, but rather to enhance astronaut diets with fresh vegetables and provide a sense of their home planet. There also are positive psychological benefits to astronauts growing plants in orbit, especially on the way to Mars when the size of the Earth shrinks by the week.
The plant studies also look at different harvesting techniques for plants, including cut-and-come-again, when some of the leaves are removed, but others left on. Harvesting a little at a time and keeping the plant intact is expected to enable astronauts to enjoy more fresh food in space in comparison to simply harvesting the whole plant when mature.
Read more at NASA.gov