In December, six lettuce plants will become some of the most-watched vegetables in the universe when they boldly go where no Romaine has gone before. According to an article in the September issue of Modern Farmer, NASA's Vegetable Production System (known by the acronym VEGGIE) will allow astronauts on the International Space Station to test their green thumbs as they grow and harvest this lettuce, which will be grown in "Kevlar pillow packs" and nurtured by UV light. Being able to farm in space serves several purposes, including eventually helping to defray the $10,000 per pound cost of sending food to the ISS.
And nurturing plants could have serious mental benefits for otherwise isolated astronauts. "It can be pretty harsh out there, confined to a small metal box," ISS project scientist Howard Levine told Modern Farmer. "Caring for a plant every day provides vital psychological relief, giving astronauts a small remembrance of Earth."
