The biggest challenge is to water the plants. In Microgravity, water does not stay on the surface as it does on Earth, and the droplets move in all directions, making it impossible to water the roots of plants as easily as on Earth. Although this problem cannot be solved, the ISS staff is busy with lettuce, Cabbage production They tried to cultivate kale.
These cultivars are small, but give astronauts the taste of fresh vegetables. However, even if only one lettuce leaf is produced per month, it is very different for astronauts who have been eating only light flavors for weeks. “People are tired of the food they eat over and over again,” Massa explains. “People who go into space lose weight, so these little crops can keep their appetite in check,” he said.