Plant Research at the Extremes

From the creator

NASA and its international partners are researching crops in extreme environments. This ranges from microgravity aboard the International Space Station to growing plants in isolation during winter in Antarctica at the German Aerospace Center’s (DLR) EDEN-ISS greenhouse. On the space station, astronauts have grown, radishes, lettuce. Even the first crop of peppers, and they made tacos with fresh chile peppers. In Antarctica, 10 polar explorers spent the winter researching closed loop environments, but they still had fresh fruit, herbs, and leafy greens available at nearly every meal. This came from a DLR greenhouse isolated on an ice shelf at the remote German Neumayer III Station, operated by the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI). We do this research because astronauts eat packaged foods in space. The packaged diet works well and has supported more than 20 years of people continuously living and working in space. But the nutrients degrade over time, which is a problem for future long durations missions. We’re finding solutions that will enable astronauts to explore the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Most importantly, we’re using what we learn in space to help us here on Earth. From climate change, to food insecurity, to taking the first step in the next era of human exploration, NASA research has and will continue to benefit life on Earth. Follow along at http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy - Imagery Courtesy of AWI, DLR and NASA - Music Courtesy of Gothic Storm Music

Published 2021-12-07 · Watch on YouTube ↗
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