NASA astronauts eat space-grown vegetables for the first time

In a ground-breaking move, astronauts aboard the International Space Station are going to eat vegetables grown in space.

The area in which the vegetables were grown is fittingly called Veggie.

With the possibility of living on Mars growing with space exploration, the move is a step in the right direction, its also important for the taste buds of astronauts and allows for longer space travel.

Said vegetables are grown out of little pillow-like packets in a system that was designed and tested by Orbital Technologies Corp.

The plants grow under red, blue and green LED light in an open-air environment.

Furthermore, the veggies had to be tested before consumption to ensure there were no odd particles in the space air.

A statement from NASA revealed that astronauts will eat half of the lettuce and bring the other half of the lettuce back to earth for further study.

Dr. Gioia Massa, the NASA scientist working on the vegetable project said the growth of the vegetables would also have psychological benefits for the scientists because currently, while the crew gets some fresh fruits or vegetables, such as carrots or apples, when a supply ship arrives at the space station, the quantity is limited and must be consumed quickly.

Congrats to the scientists on the feat!