Giant step for astronauts as they float around for extraterrestrial rabbit food

IT WILL be one small bite for them but potentially one giant healthy-eating leap for the future of mankind in space. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station are preparing to eat fresh food grown in space for the first time.

The historic meal will consist of leaves of red romaine lettuce grown under red, blue and green LEDs by crew members of Expedition 44 in a laboratory orbiting the Earth. Before tucking in, the astronauts will clean the greens with citric-acid-based, foodsafe sanitising wipes. They will eat half the crop, setting aside the rest to be packaged and frozen on board until it can be sent back to Earth for further examination.

A test crop was watered and nurtured for 33 days in 2014 before being picked and returned to Earth for analysis at Nasa’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

Certain fresh foods, including tomatoes, blueberries and red lettuce, are good sources of antioxidants. They could also provide a psychological boost to astronauts on long stays away from home, a need which is likely to become more acute as scientists plot an eventual mission to Mars.

‘‘Having fresh food like these available in space could have a positive impact on people’s moods and also could provide some protection against radiation in space,’’ said Dr Ray Wheeler, head of advanced life support activities at Kennedy Space Centre.

Image: NASA An artist’s impression of a future International Space Station garden growing fruit and vegetables for astronauts to eat.

Photo: NASA Mizuna lettuce was grown aboard the International Space Station before being harvested and frozen for return to Earth for testing.