Under NASA program, Blue Origin to board test system for zero gravity 'super foods'

A great way to support a healthy diet is by eating fresh fruits and vegetables. folks working in zero gravity in are exception. And as humans plan for ambitious exploration to and possible settlement on Moon and beyond, scientists are looking into sustainable ways to grow highly nutritious foods in microgravity to give astronauts a reily available supply of daily greens.

Jeff Bezos-owned Blue Origin’s next New Shepard mission will carry with it LilyPond, a hydroponic (growth of plants without soil) chamber for growing edible aquatic plants in , developed by   Lab Techlogies.  paylos will fly to and experience several minutes of microgravity before returning to Earth, giving researchers valuable data about how ir techlogies perform.

mission's launch is scheduled for October 13 local time as part of NASA’s Flight Opportunities program.

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How will test work?

Christine Escobar, vice president of Lab and principal investigator for microgravity LilyPond explains how in , astronauts need crops that produce a lot of nutritious material with minimal resources and volume – and those that can grow very fast, tolerate environmental extremes, and taste good.

Looking at se parameters, company zeroed in on duckweed (also kwn as water lentils) – as ir test crop. With its high protein content (up to 45%) and a rich supply of antioxidants, ami acids, and Omega-3s, crunchy vegetable is sometimes called a superfood. Escobar said se rapidly growing plants are ideal for because y do t require soil or ar growing media – which means fewer materials, less mass, and less waste for resource-intensive missions. But realizing promise of such plants requires right techlogy.

“ two biggest issues with growing a floating aquatic plant in are providing a stable water surface that is open to air, and harvesting plant,” explained Escobar.

In absence of gravity, getting water to stay where you put it can be a challenge. To dress this issue, Lab began developing microgravity LilyPond in collaboration with University of Coloro at Boulder in 2017 with funding from a special NASA program. Closely stacked shallow growth trays provide a stable water surface on which plant grows, with water delivered via open capillary channels and LED panels providing an efficient light source. When plants are rey to eat, a rotary sieve separates m from water, which can be recycled for next crop.

“ more we explore, more we discover that it pays to reuse, recycle, and regenerate consumable resources on board a craft, rar than carrying m all with you and n throwing away waste,” said Escobar.

Following upcoming test flight, Lab will use video data to verify performance of ir growth chamber, and make any necessary design changes prior to proposing techlogy for an orbital test on station.

^{Microgravity Plant Growth Chamber with microgreens (2020) / Labs Techlogies}

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