Jakarta – Sejak 2014, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) experimented with growing lettuce, brasica cabbage, and zinnia bush flowers in space.
At the end of 2021, the astronaut of the United States Aeronautics and Space Administration managed to harvest chilies twice using advanced technology that was assembled 50 years ago. Why astronaut grow plants in space?
The red and green peppers from New Mexico are stuck at a 45-degree d incline in Artificial Plant Habitat (APH)-04, a sort of space terrarium the size of a microwave. Even though they were installed in tilted pots, the four chili plants stood upright with the weight of dozens of shiny chilies hanging, as quoted from Wired.
The chili peppers that astronaut Mark Vandahei and his team harvested swirled around their heads until they were caught and pinned to a board to be photographed. This chili harvest in space takes place in October and November 2021.
In order to be harvested, there are 180 sensors that control and monitor the plant’s temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide. Meanwhile, watering plants is done automatically.
Lashelle Spencer, plant scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, said astronauts can also adjust the color and intensity of light, and how much moisture the plant roots get. All of these technologies are made for the growth of chili, vegetables, and fruit in outer space.
“Advanced plant habitats are the most complex plant growth systems in orbit today,” said Spencer, Tuesday (12/21/2021).
Why Astronaut Growing Plants in Space?
Psychological Effects of Space Travel
The astronauts’ autumn harvest of chili peppers in space appears to provide data on the psychological benefits of growing vegetables onboard a spacecraft. As a result, the sensory experience of growing productive crops helps reduce the psychological effects of long-term space travel.
Spencer adds that there is a certain emotional connection to food that doesn’t come from a space kitchen that’s intentionally dried to last. He said that the astronauts opened the doors of the APH terrarium every day to observe their vegetables with love like gardening at home.
He said, when harvest day arrived, they took selfies with the harvest and enjoyed the vegetables and fruit floating in the spaceship.
Astronaut Vitamins and Nutrition
|
NASA astronaut Raja Chari eats a taco with chili from a crop in space. Photo: NASA– |
Astronauts’ food for 100 days in space must be dried. Vitamins and minerals obtained from supplements lose their nutritional value the longer they are stored.
Spencer explained, creating conditions that accommodate the cultivation of healthy plants in space can support the health of astronauts on long-term missions. Despite it being spicy, he added, the astronauts enjoyed getting chili peppers alongside a rehydrated beef fajita, tomato, and artichoke.
He added that previously, astronauts’ food was basically good. Shrimp cocktail, for example. However, astronauts miss the green and refreshing taste of healthy vegetables and fruits.
Paul Bosland of the Chile Peller Institute said, to accommodate the health during the long journey of astronauts, his institution and NASA cultivate varieties with certain characteristics.
According to Bosland, some of the requirements of prospective plants in space, namely they can be harvested faster, do not take up space, can live in dim light, are tough in low pressure environments, and have three times more vitamin C than oranges to prevent scurvy.
Of the 26 chilies harvested, 14 of the best fruits will remain on the International Space Station for consumption. The rest is wrapped in foil, sealed in a Ziploc bag, then frozen at -80 degrees.
The chilies will be opened upon landing back to earth in a cargo capsule to be studied. Later, the chili from space will be examined by NASA through microbiological, molecular, genetic, and nutritional analysis.
Well, that’s the reason why astronaut growing chili and vegetables in space. Want to be an astronaut, detikers?
Watch Videos “NASA Prepares to Fly 4 Astronauts to Space Station“
[Gambas:Video 20detik]
(twu / erd)
– .
