Scientists redesigning plants for astronauts to grow and eat in space

When astronauts are orbiting earth, it's often not chocolate or biscuits they crave but a fresh, crunchy salad.

It's a desire that's difficult to fulfil, as there is limited ability to grow and propagate fresh vegetables on space shuttles.

Now scientists are working to change that.

Perth-based researcher Leni Campbell-Clause spends her days trying to grow nutritiously-dense plants that can survive and thrive in space.

"When astronauts go to space, they're often having to eat things that are vacuum packed, and that might not be very enjoyable," Ms Campbell-Clause said.

"If we produce plants that have a full nutritional profile, it means that astronauts are able to meet all of their nutritional needs just from the plants that they're eating."

She said within the next couple of years, humans will not only be able to grow plants on space shuttles but also on the moon.
Waste free and nutritious

Scientists at Plants For Space, an international research consortium partly based out of the University of WA, are part of a seven year project aimed at "re-imagining plant design and production" in space.

Their research will form part of the precious cargo aboard NASA's Artemis III mission, slated to launch mid-2027."When we're in space, we don't want to be throwing away a lot of products, so we want to grow plants where you're able to eat and consume pretty much the entire plant," Ms Campbell-Clause said.

Plants like moss and duckweed are ideal, she said, because they can be genetically modified and don't have roots.

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