Exploring Space with Plants: A Sustainable Approach
As humans explore space, we will want to bring plants for both aesthetic and practical reasons. We already know from our pioneering astronauts that fresh flowers and gardens on the International Space Station create a beautiful atmosphere and let us take a little piece of Earth with us on our journeys. They’re good for our psychological well-being on Earth and in space. They also will be critical for keeping astronauts healthy on long-duration missions.
A lack of vitamin C was all it took to give sailors scurvy, and vitamin deficiencies can cause a number of other health problems. Simply packing some multi-vitamins will not be enough to keep astronauts healthy as they explore deep space. They will need fresh produce.
Right now on the space station, astronauts receive regular shipments of a wide variety of freeze-dried and prepackaged meals to cover their dietary needs – resupply missions keep them freshly stocked. When crews venture further into space, traveling for months or years without resupply shipments, the vitamins in prepackaged form break down over time, which presents a problem for astronaut health.
Veggie
The Vegetable Production System, known as Veggie, is a space garden residing on the space station. Veggie’s purpose is to help NASA study plant growth in microgravity, while adding fresh food to the astronauts’ diet and enhancing happiness and well-being on the orbiting laboratory. The Veggie garden is about the size of a carry-on piece of luggage and typically holds six plants. Each plant grows in a “pillow” filled with a clay-based growth media and fertilizer. The pillows are important to help distribute water, nutrients and air in a healthy balance around the roots. Otherwise, the roots would either drown in water or be engulfed by air because of the way fluids in space tend to form bubbles.
In the absence of gravity, plants use other environmental factors, such as light, to orient and guide growth. A bank of light emitting diodes (LEDs) above the plants produces a spectrum of light suited for the plants’ growth. Since plants reflect a lot of green light and use more red and blue wavelengths, the Veggie chamber typically glows magenta pink.
To date, Veggie has successfully grown a variety of plants, including three types of lettuce, Chinese cabbage, mizuna mustard, red Russian kale and zinnia flowers. The flowers were especially popular with astronaut Scott Kelly, who picked a bouquet and photographed it floating in the cupola against the backdrop of Earth. Some of the plants were harvested and eaten by the crew members, with remaining samples returned to Earth to be analyzed. One concern was harmful microbes growing on the produce. So far, no harmful contamination has been detected, and the food has been safe (and enjoyable) for the crew to eat.
Our team at Kennedy Space Center envisions planting more produce in the future, such as tomatoes and peppers. Foods like berries, certain beans and other antioxidant-rich foods would have the added benefit of providing some space radiation protection for crew members who eat them.
Advanced Plant Habitat
SDGs, Targets, and IndicatorsSDGs, Targets, and Indicators Identified in the Article:
- SDG 2: Zero Hunger
- Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round
- Indicator 2.1.2: Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population, based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES)
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being
- Indicator 3.4.1: Mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory disease
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- Target 12.3: By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses
- Indicator 12.3.1: Food loss index
- SDG 15: Life on Land
- Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species
- Indicator 15.5.1: Red List Index
Explanation:
1. SDG 2: Zero Hunger is addressed in the article as it discusses the need for fresh produce to ensure astronauts’ health during long-duration space missions. The article highlights the importance of providing astronauts with nutrients in the form of freshly grown fruits and vegetables.
2. Target 2.1 under SDG 2 can be identified based on the article’s content. This target aims to end hunger and ensure access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food for all people. The article emphasizes the need for fresh produce to meet astronauts’ dietary needs during space missions.
3. The article does not explicitly mention any indicators related to Target 2.1, but the prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population can be used as an indicator to measure progress towards this target. The article highlights the importance of providing astronauts with fresh produce to prevent vitamin deficiencies and ensure their health during space missions.
4. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being is connected to the issues discussed in the article. The article emphasizes the importance of fresh produce for astronauts’ health and well-being during long-duration space missions.
5. Target 3.4 under SDG 3 can be identified based on the article’s content. This target aims to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases and promote mental health and well-being. The article highlights the need for fresh produce to prevent vitamin deficiencies and ensure astronauts’ health during space missions.
6. Indicator 3.4.1, which measures the mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, or chronic respiratory disease, can be used to measure progress towards Target 3.4. The article emphasizes the importance of fresh produce for astronauts’ health and well-being during space missions.
7. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production is relevant to the issues discussed in the article. The article highlights the need for sustainable food production and consumption in space to ensure astronauts’ health during long-duration missions.
8. Target 12.3 under SDG 12 can be identified based on the article’s content. This target aims to reduce food waste and losses along production and supply chains. The article emphasizes the importance of efficient food production and preservation methods for astronauts’ dietary needs during space missions.
9. Indicator 12.3.1, which measures the food loss index, can be used to measure progress towards Target 12.3. The article discusses the challenges of providing astronauts with fresh produce during long-duration space missions and the need for efficient food preservation methods.
10. SDG 15: Life on Land is connected to the issues discussed in the article. The article highlights the importance of plant growth in microgravity and its impact on astronauts’ health and well-being during space missions.
11. Target 15.5 under SDG 15 can be identified based on the article’s content. This target aims to protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species. The article discusses the successful growth of various plants in microgravity and their potential benefits for astronauts’ health.
12. Indicator 15.5.1, which measures the Red List Index, can be used to measure progress towards Target 15.5. The article does not explicitly mention this indicator, but it highlights the successful growth of various plants in microgravity without harmful contamination, indicating progress in protecting plant species in space.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 2: Zero Hunger | Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round | Indicator 2.1.2: Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population, based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) |
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being | Indicator 3.4.1: Mortality rate attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory disease |
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | Target 12.3: By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses | Indicator 12.3.1: Food loss index |
