NASA confirms of Flowers being grown Aeroponically in Space

In a blog, NASA wrote that this was the "first time a flowering crop experiment will be grown on the orbiting laboratory". The ISS team installed the space station's Veggie plant system in mid-2014 and have also grown Red Romaine Lettuce.

In 2012, astronaut Don Pettit successfully grew a Zucchini, Sunflower and Broccoli out of zip-lock plastic bags on the ISS as personal science experiment. Pettit documented the life of these plants and veggies in a NASA blog called Diary of Space Zucchini. Zinnias are colorful, long-lasting flowers that are also edible.



The vegetable was grown aeroponically that is, in an air or mist environment without soil. 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 has 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 Veggie project will also produce crucial information for a Mars mission, said Alexandra Whitmire from NASA's Human Research Program. For example, understanding watering schedules in microgravity, and knowing what to do if there is mold growth or other challenges in these extreme conditions.

"In future missions, the importance of plants will likely increase, given the crews limited connection to Earth and growing plants in space also has psychological benefits for astronauts, particularly in combating feelings of isolation and loneliness” Whitmire wrote in a NASA blog.

In a blog, NASA wrote that this was the first time a flowering crop experiment will be grown on the orbiting laboratory. NASA hopes Veggie will become a regular facility for ISS astronauts to grow fresh food in space.


( Sources and Citation : http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/18/world/first-space-flower-iss/index.html )