Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) are taking care of their vegetable garden, where they grow lettuce, radish, and now mustard and cabbage.

NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins played a leading role in the care and cultivation of vegetables grown on the space station in multiple experiments. He harvested the second batch of radishes grown in space, and the crew enjoyed these radishes in the new year. He also participated in two new experiments, one of which involved transplanting crops in space for the first time. When the growth of certain plants lags, they are rearranged to make the most of the available nutrients in a delicate process.

Another experiment involved planting lettuce seeds on the track for the first time. Normally, the seeds are planted in a nutrient medium on the ground before being sent to the International Space Station. But the development of a new seed film allows astronauts to grow their own crops.

Hopkins recently discarded the importance of these experiments for long-term space missions, pointing out two reasons why they are critical to the future. "First, plants grown in space provide a source of food that can enhance the nutrition of astronauts while making future astronauts more self-sufficient," he said in a statement. "Secondly, these plants are the connection to the earth. The appearance, feel, taste and smell all remind us of life on earth, and this connection is beneficial to our mental health."

He also mentioned the psychological importance of growing and eating fresh produce. Everything that astronauts eat must be delivered in a pre-packaged form, which leads to an effect called food monotony. People lose their appetite and reduce their sense of participation in food. In contrast, benefits or entertainment such as occasional snacks or fresh vegetables can provide powerful psychological stimulation. Hopkins said this will be related to future missions to Mars.

"Although astronauts cannot go to the supermarket to buy fresh produce during the two-year mission to Mars, they can float in a module that has the same smell and feel as the produce area," he said. "This will put a smile on any astronaut's face and make them more efficient in their main mission activities."

Another factor to be considered in future missions to Mars is the shelf life of prepackaged foods. Each trip to Mars requires at least seven months of travel time, and future Martian astronauts will need a variety of food to sustain their mission for more than a year.

“Now the shelf life of prepackaged food is about 18 months. Ralph Fritsche, senior project manager for space production at Kennedy Space Center, said that even if this diet is extended, there are psychological factors for fresh food and interaction with plants.” When I saw When a system can be brought to Mars, or deployed and deployed on the moon, this is what we want-the ability to continuously supply food crops. "

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