One of the greatest challenges faced by NASA in planning the Journey to Mars is providing astronauts with fresh food. Farming in space is not as easy as you might think, and many scientists are working on solutions to the ongoing challenge of growing plants in microgravity. Opening Fall 2017, students can participate in this research in the new Astronaut Training Experience (ATX) at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex!
Since 2014, NASA’s Vegetable Production System (Veggie) project has been testing different methods and materials for growing plants on board the International Space Station. Education crewmembers at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex are partnering with NASA's Veggie team to create a plant lab in the Mars Base One facility of the new ATX. This lab will test a variety of growing techniques and collect data for NASA to use when choosing plants for future missions. Learn how a school in Miami is incorporating Veggie studies into science curriculum in the November 2016 issue of Spaceport Magazine (pages 24-25).
Keep up with NASA's latest Veggie experiments