Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi has participated in the HRF Veg experiment, while onboard the International Space Station (ISS).
The experiment aims to get a better understanding of space agriculture and nutrition, and is being conducted by the Kennedy Space Centre, Johnson Space Centre and NASA.
Through the experiment, the overall health benefits from growing fresh food and plants in space were monitored, where dwarf tomatoes were grown by using fertiliser and controlled light. The experiment will also observe the impact on astronauts that consume the fresh produce, during their long-duration space missions.
The crew members onboard the ISS were responsible for watering the plants, pollinating them and harvesting the fruit. Half of the tomatoes that were harvested will be consumed by the crew members, while the remaining will be sent to Earth for analysis.
The experiment will also have the crew participate in taste tests and complete questionnaires to evaluate the quality of the produce.
Adnan Al Rais, Mission Manager, UAE Astronaut Programme said, "The HRF Veg experiment is an important study towards enabling sustainability in space exploration. This collaborative effort with NASA, Kennedy Space Centre and the Johnson Space Centre fortifies our understanding of food cultivation in space, nourishing the physical health and psychological wellbeing of astronauts on prolonged missions. We are privileged to contribute to this pivotal research through astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, and we are sure that the result from this study holds potential to shape the future of long-term habitation in space."
