Space Station Live: Gardening in Space

The purpose of the Veggie project is to provide supplemental nourishment to astronauts and allow them to grow vegetables on board the international space station.

The Veggie system consists of an LED lid with lighting, a bellow system, a skeleton to hold it all together, root mats with seeds, and an accordion-type system that raises as the plants grow.

The Veggie project is unique because it allows astronauts to interact with the plants and experience the growth process. It is also an open environment, unlike previous enclosed and controlled plant science experiments in space.

The Veggie project aims to capture humidity condensation and recycle it back into the environmental control systems. This is critical for resource utilization in long-duration space missions to the moon and Mars.

The potential applications of the Veggie technology include commercialization for LED lighting systems, building plant growth rooms for customers, and growing food in extreme environments. It can be used to produce fresh food year-round and provide access to fresh food for people who wouldn't normally have it.