NASA astronauts are interested in growing more edible plants in space to promote farming and to meet the food requirements of the astronauts during space missions.Veggies Found In Space Promotes The Growth Of More Edible Plants By Astronauts
NASA have already taken various initiatives to promote the growth of more edible plants after the veggies that were found in cosmos. Thus, the growth of edible plants will help astronauts during the future Mars expedition. Hence, instead of carrying the food from Earth, the astronauts can get food directly in the space providing self-sufficiency.
During the space missions, the astronauts can use small mini-fridge sized experiment called Advanced Plant Habitat or APH experiment to promote plant and vegetable cultivation. The dream to grow plants and vegetables in cosmic conditions will now become true. APH experiment is also demonstrating the fast growth of vegetables and plants in large proportion.
This initiative taken by researchers will greatly help the astronauts on upcoming Mars expedition. For instance, these edible plants and veggies can meet the food requirements of astronauts during the mission and also when they reach the surface of the red planet.
The plants basically the leafy vegetable can be grown easily as they absorb and provide a large number of vitamins and minerals required to keep astronauts healthy.
The APH program can be considered as the successor of the previous NASA initiative taken in 2015, that was called as Vegetable Production System (Veggie). The Veggie program was the first food growing program by NASA that fed the ISS crew.
However, the Veggie differs from APH. The Veggie program mainly depended on enclosed plants that were processing the unfiltered air present inside the plant chamber. On contrary, the APH program will help astronauts to control the atmospheric conditions present inside the plant chamber. The APH program will be equipped with many LEDs having diodes that emit white and infrared light that will increase the edible plant production by almost 4 times.
Recently, the researchers have also studied specific kind of potato variety that can be cultivated on Mars. This initiative will greatly help astronauts in future.
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