How to grow herbs in space

The idea is to grow plants in space belongs to Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. Long before the manned flights, he said that the green flora in the future will become the main power source and maintaining the composition of the atmosphere on the spacecraft. Today, the plant experiments involved in Institute mediko-biological problems and all the crews of the ISS. For astronauts, gardening in orbit also a source of good mood.




Preparation of seeds begins on earth and in orbit, they are supplied ready for cultivation.The main plants for astronauts called: wheat, peas and salad.What is remarkable weightlessness and gravity does not affect the germination of plants.



According to a leading researcher of the Institute of biomedical problems RAS (IBMP) Margarita Levinskikh, growing several generations of these cultures in orbit showed that they undergo genetic changes and mutations, and suitable for cultivation and, respectively, consumption in terms of long-term space flights. The same applies to peas for the research was received four the growing season, and plants in each generation showed the same level of productivity and reproduction. During communication with journalists Lewinsky said that soon planned to upgrade the disabled now at the station greenhouse "Lada": "We plan... to deliver and install a new lamp and a number of other components in 2015. In the updated greenhouse cosmonauts will try to cultivate such cultures as rice, tomatoes and bell peppers: they have never tried to grow in space. The data will be necessary to ensure the GE healthcare tissue culture media crews long expeditions, including for missions to Mars."



Source: rodovid.me