The ISS planted the first seeds of red lettuce Bashny.Net

Representatives from NASA said that on the International space station activated the system of plant growth that in the near future should confirm or refute the possibility of cultivation of various cultures in the absence of gravity.



The unique camera Veggie, the development of which was conducted by a well known company Orbitec, and the seeds red lettuce planted in it throughout the month will see nearly three dozen experts on the Ground and one astronaut on the ISS who is responsible for this task.

After this time, if you collect space harvest, lettuce will give frozen to the Ground for detailed analysis and to explore the possibility of growing plants in space to feed the astronauts. And it is very likely that soon food for the astronauts will not be delivered to the ISS, and for the most part be grown in space and on Earth will offer to buy flowers that were grown in space – is not a fantastic gift for girls?

Should pay attention to the Veggie and camera: it is able to provide plants with all the conditions necessary for their growth. In particular, this system ensures the supply of a proper amount of water and carbon dioxide, as well as lighting and different nutrients. At the beginning of the experiment, a camera was placed some pillows with the soil and fertilizer, and planted the seeds.

It is noteworthy that the experiment will be conducted in three directions at once. Also planted lettuce on the ISS, the same seeds planted in a normal garden near the Kennedy Space center in Florida, as well as in a special laboratory in the same center where the special conditions with the absence of gravity.

It is the harvest from this laboratory and from the ISS will help to see changes that render plants their orbital location. Comparing with plants grown in a normal garden will demonstrate the influence of culture to the absence of gravity and, as in the first case, the orbital position of all other factors in the experiment will be as much identical as possible.



Source: zeleneet.com