After Radish And Red Lettuce, Astronauts Now Grow Chili On The Space Station

Astronauts have now succeeded in growing several plants in space. (photo: Tijana Drndarski / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) are not only assigned to research the universe, but they are also working on science projects. One of them, by trying to grow chili.

They, the astronauts are indeed required to find new food in space, this is of course for their current and future needs. For the first time, they managed to grow chili in space.

NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough loaded 48 chili seeds into the space station's Advanced Planet Habitat (APH) this week and began an experiment called Plant Habitat-04.

Kimbrough is tasked with growing the peppers for the next four months and then harvesting to see how they grow.

A number of chili seeds have been planted on the ISS as part of a new experiment. The experiment itself aims to expand the food that can be grown in space ahead of possible future missions to Mars.

Chili harvest in space.

Cayenne pepper seeds 48 Hatch arrived in orbital outpost last June 5 on the SpaceX Dragon CRS-22 commercial supply mission.

"Now, these red and green chilies are starting to grow as part of NASA's Plant Habitat-04 experiment," NASA said.

Indeed, astronauts get most of the fresh food supply from these cargo ships. However, previous trials of cropping seeds have yielded some delicious treats.

Where the crew has been enjoying space-grown red lettuce and radishes. Not only that, in order to beautify the ISS, the astronauts also plant flowering plants, such as Zinnia. This is quoted from CNET, Monday, July 19.