Space-grown vegetables: Astronauts chow down on lettuce | CNN

A space first – astronauts eat ‘home-grown’ food

Amanda Barnett
By Amanda Barnett, CNN
2 minute read
Updated 11:50 AM EDT, Tue August 11, 2015
The crew of the space shuttle Atlantis took this picture of the International Space Station after leaving it in July 2011. Atlantis was the last shuttle to visit the station, which was first launched in 1998 and built by a partnership of 16 nations.
The crew of the space shuttle Atlantis took this picture of the International Space Station after leaving it in July 2011. Atlantis was the last shuttle to visit the station, which was first launched in 1998 and built by a partnership of 16 nations.
NASA
The crew of the space shuttle Endeavour initiates the station's first assembly sequence in 1998. The International Space Station includes several large modules, each launched separately and connected in space by astronauts.
The crew of the space shuttle Endeavour initiates the station's first assembly sequence in 1998. The International Space Station includes several large modules, each launched separately and connected in space by astronauts.
NASA / GAMMA LIASON
The Zarya control module, on the left with the solar panels, floats above Earth with its newly attached Unity module after the first assembly sequence in December 1998.
The Zarya control module, on the left with the solar panels, floats above Earth with its newly attached Unity module after the first assembly sequence in December 1998.
nasa
The first crew of the International Space Station, seen on board in December 2000. From the left are cosmonaut Yuri P. Gidzenko, astronaut William M. Shepherd and cosmonaut Sergei K. Krikalev.
The first crew of the International Space Station, seen on board in December 2000. From the left are cosmonaut Yuri P. Gidzenko, astronaut William M. Shepherd and cosmonaut Sergei K. Krikalev.
nasa
The Endeavour crew installs the first set of U.S. solar arrays on the station in 2000.
The Endeavour crew installs the first set of U.S. solar arrays on the station in 2000.
Courtesy NASA
In March 2001, a space shuttle delivered the station's second crew and brought the first one home. It also brought Leonardo, the station's first Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, to the station. Leonardo carried supplies and equipment.
In March 2001, a space shuttle delivered the station's second crew and brought the first one home. It also brought Leonardo, the station's first Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, to the station. Leonardo carried supplies and equipment.
Courtesy NASA
In September 2006, the space shuttle Atlantis docked with the space station, delivering solar wings and a new truss.
In September 2006, the space shuttle Atlantis docked with the space station, delivering solar wings and a new truss.
Courtesy NASA
The space shuttle Discovery leaves the space station in March 2008 after its crew successfully delivered and installed the Japanese-built Kibo lab.
The space shuttle Discovery leaves the space station in March 2008 after its crew successfully delivered and installed the Japanese-built Kibo lab.
Courtesy NASA
The unmanned SpaceX Dragon spacecraft connects to the space station in May 2012. It was the first private spacecraft to successfully reach an orbiting space station.
The unmanned SpaceX Dragon spacecraft connects to the space station in May 2012. It was the first private spacecraft to successfully reach an orbiting space station.
Courtesy NASA
An unmanned Russian cargo craft disconnects from the space station in April 2013. The station relies heavily on ships to bring up supplies.
An unmanned Russian cargo craft disconnects from the space station in April 2013. The station relies heavily on ships to bring up supplies.
nasa
Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency peers out of the space station's Cupola observatory on April 27. The Cupola is a dome-shaped module that allows station crew members to observe and guide activities outside the station.
Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency peers out of the space station's Cupola observatory on April 27. The Cupola is a dome-shaped module that allows station crew members to observe and guide activities outside the station.
NASA
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft is docked with the space station on May 5. Since the U.S. shuttle program ended in 2011, all crew members are ferried to and from the space station on Russian rockets.
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft is docked with the space station on May 5. Since the U.S. shuttle program ended in 2011, all crew members are ferried to and from the space station on Russian rockets.
nasa
A Soyuz spacecraft is seen on May 13 as it lands in Kazakhstan with Wakata and other members of the his Expedition 39 crew.
A Soyuz spacecraft is seen on May 13 as it lands in Kazakhstan with Wakata and other members of the his Expedition 39 crew.
bill ingalls/nasa/ap
Notable moments of the International Space Station

Story highlights

NASA astronauts sample lettuce grown on International Space Station

It's the first time food grown in space is officially on the menu

CNN  — 

A special treat is on the menu for NASA astronauts on the International Space Station on Monday – lettuce. But this isn’t just any lettuce. It’s part of a crop of “Outredgeous” red romaine lettuce grown on the space station.

“Fresh food grown in the microgravity environment of space officially is on the menu for the first time for NASA astronauts,” NASA said in a statement.

But it’s not the first time food was grown on a space station, it made clear.

“For decades, NASA and other agencies have experimented with plants in space, but the results were always sent to earth for examination, rather than eaten,” NASA said.

There was no word on whether crew members have been “unofficially” sneaking some space-grown snacks.

Yes, the astronauts get plenty of prepared foods shipped up by supply ships. But NASA needs to figure out how to grow food on spacecraft – and on other planets – for future deep space missions such as the one planned to Mars. The space agency plans to send humans to an asteroid by 2025 and to Mars in the 2030s.

Besides, gardening is fun on Earth, and NASA said astronauts likely will use it as a recreational activity on long missions.

The lettuce was grown aeroponically–in an air or mist environment without soil–in the space station’s Veggie plant growth system. Plants grown aeroponically require far less water and fertilizer, don’t need pesticide, are much less prone to disease, and grow up to three times faster than plants grown in soil, NASA said.

The system was tested at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and the plants were checked for safety. Still, half the crew’s harvest will be sent back to Earth for more testing. And to be even safer, the astronauts will clean the lettuce with citric acid-based, food-safe sanitizing wipes before eating it.

The crew seems excited about the lettuce. Astronauts Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren took to Twitter to share images of their crop.

Kelly and Lindgren are the only two NASA astronauts on the space station now. The other crew members are Russians Gennady Padalka, Mikhail Kornienko, Oleg Kononenko and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui.

From left: Kjell Lindgren, Oleg Kononenko, Kimiya Yui, Scott Kelly, Gennady Padalka and Mikhail Kornienko.
From left: Kjell Lindgren, Oleg Kononenko, Kimiya Yui, Scott Kelly, Gennady Padalka and Mikhail Kornienko.
NASA

NASA didn’t say if the other crew members would sample the lettuce, but Padalka and Kornienko will be busy with a spacewalk. They’re installing devices on the hull of the station to help crew members be able to move around better on future spacewalks. They’re also doing some window-washing – cleaning residue off the windows of the Zvezda Service Module – and working on the station’s communications antennas.

Maybe Kelly and Lindgren will save them enough lettuce for at least a side salad.