CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –Outredgeous red romaine lettuce plants grow inside the bellows of a prototype VEGGIE flight pillow. U.S. astronauts living and working aboard the International Space Station are going to receive a newly developed Vegetable Production System VEGGIE. VEGGIE is set to launch aboard SpaceX's Dragon capsule on NASA's third Commercial Resupply Services mission targeted to launch Dec. 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/Gioia Massa

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Outredgeous red romaine lettuce plants grow inside the bellows of a prototype VEGGIE flight pillow. U.S. astronauts living and working aboard the International Space Station are going to receive a newly developed Vegetable Production System VEGGIE. VEGGIE is set to launch aboard SpaceX's Dragon capsule on NASA's third Commercial Resupply Services mission targeted to launch Dec. 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/Bryan Onate

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A 28-day-old Outredgeous red romaine lettuce plant grows in a prototype VEGGIE flight pillow. U.S. astronauts living and working aboard the International Space Station are going to receive a newly developed Vegetable Production System VEGGIE. VEGGIE is set to launch aboard SpaceX's Dragon capsule on NASA's third Commercial Resupply Services mission targeted to launch Dec. 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/Gioia Massa

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –Outredgeous red romaine lettuce plants grow inside in a prototype VEGGIE flight pillow. The bellows of the hardware have been lowered to better observe the plants. A small temperature and relative humidity data logger is placed between the pillows small white box, central. U.S. astronauts living and working aboard the International Space Station are going to receive a newly developed Vegetable Production System VEGGIE. VEGGIE is set to launch aboard SpaceX's Dragon capsule on NASA's third Commercial Resupply Services mission targeted to launch Dec. 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/Gioia Massa

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Several different types of 21-day-old plants grow in analog VEGGIE pillows include, from right, Outredgeous red romaine lettuce, Bright Lights Swiss chard, Cherry Bomb II radish, Tokyo Bekana Chinese cabbage and Sugar Pod II snow pea. U.S. astronauts living and working aboard the International Space Station are going to receive a newly developed Vegetable Production System VEGGIE. VEGGIE is set to launch aboard SpaceX's Dragon capsule on NASA's third Commercial Resupply Services mission targeted to launch Dec. 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/Gioia Massa

Veg-03D Experiment Onboard the International Space Station. First time three different plant varieties are being grown simultaneously in the Veggie chamber -- Mizuna mustard, Waldmann's green lettuce and Outredgeous Red Romaine lettuce.

iss072e350731 (12/6/2024) --- The Spaceflight Microbiome of a Food Crop Grown Using Different Substrate Moisture Levels (Plant Habitat-07) investigation grows ‘Outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce aboard the International Space Station’s Advanced Plant Habitat to assess different substrate moisture treatments and their effects on the microbial communities in the plants, roots, and water. This preflight ground image shows ‘Outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce seedlings after thinning on Day 7.

Inside the Veggie flight laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Matthew Romeyn, a NASA Pathways intern from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, harvests a portion of the 'Outredgeous' red romaine lettuce from the Veg-03 ground control unit. The purpose of the ground Veggie system is to provide a control group to compare against the lettuce grown in orbit on the International Space Station. Veg-03 will continue NASA’s deep space plant growth research to benefit the Earth and the agency’s journey to Mars.

iss072e404275 (12/27/2024) --- The Spaceflight Microbiome of a Food Crop Grown Using Different Substrate Moisture Levels (Plant Habitat-07) investigation grows ‘Outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce aboard the International Space Station’s Advanced Plant Habitat to assess different substrate moisture treatments and their effects on the microbial communities in the plants, roots, and water. This image shows lettuce grown with wilt moisture treatments halfway through the harvest procedure on Day 28.

Inside the Veggie flight laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a research scientist harvests a portion of the 'Outredgeous' red romaine lettuce from the Veg-03 ground control unit. The purpose of the ground Veggie system is to provide a control group to compare against the lettuce grown in orbit on the International Space Station. Veg-03 will continue NASA’s deep space plant growth research to benefit the Earth and the agency’s journey to Mars.

iss072e404277 (12/27/2024) --- The Plant Habitat-07 investigation grows ‘Outredgeous’ Red Romaine Lettuce aboard the Advanced Plant Habitat to assess different substrate moisture treatments and their effects on the microbial communities in the plants, roots, and water. This image shows lettuce grown with the control (left) and flood (right) moisture treatments prior to harvest on Day 28.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Researchers have activated the red, blue and green LED lights on the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. They are checking the plant pillows that contain outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds. From left, are George Guerra, quality control engineer with QinetiQ North America, and Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT. The growth chamber will be used as a control unit and procedures will be followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth will be monitored for 28 days. At the end of the cycle, the plants will be carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Veggie plant growth system has been activated inside a control chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The red, blue and green LED lights have been turned on and the root mat and plant pillows containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds have been inserted into the chamber. The clear bellows have been expanded and secured. Checking the system are, from left, Gioia Massa, NASA payload scientist for Veggie, Gerard Newsham, Veggie payload support specialist with Jacobs Technology, and Trent Smith, NASA project manager. The growth chamber will be used as a control unit and procedures will be followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth will be monitored for 28 days. At the end of the cycle, the plants will be carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Researchers have activated the red, blue and green LED lights on the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, is securing the plant pillows containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds onto the root mat inside Veggie. The growth chamber will be used as a control unit and procedures will be followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth will be monitored for 28 days. At the end of the cycle, the plants will be carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Researchers have activated the red, blue and green LED lights on the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, inserts the root mat and plant pillows containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds into the Veggie unit. The growth chamber will be used as a control unit and procedures will be followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth will be monitored for 28 days. At the end of the cycle, the plants will be carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Researchers have activated the red, blue and green LED lights on the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, is securing the plant pillows containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds onto the root mat inside Veggie. To his left, is George Guerra, a quality control engineer with QinetiQ North America. The growth chamber will be used as a control unit and procedures will be followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth will be monitored for 28 days. At the end of the cycle, the plants will be carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Researchers have activated the red, blue and green LED lights on the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, starts the water supply to the plant pillows containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds inside Veggie. Behind him is George Guerra, a quality control engineer with QinetiQ North America. The growth chamber will be used as a control unit and procedures will be followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth will be monitored for 28 days. At the end of the cycle, the plants will be carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Researchers have activated the red, blue and green LED lights on the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, is securing the plant pillows containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds onto the root mat inside Veggie. The growth chamber will be used as a control unit and procedures will be followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth will be monitored for 28 days. At the end of the cycle, the plants will be carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

iss072e363510 (12/13/2024) --- The Spaceflight Microbiome of a Food Crop Grown Using Different Substrate Moisture Levels (Plant Habitat-07) investigation grows ‘Outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce aboard the International Space Station’s Advanced Plant Habitat to assess different substrate moisture treatments and their effects on the microbial communities in the plants, roots, and water.

jsc2025e047407 (2/6/2024) --- ‘Outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce seedlings after thinning on Day 7 as part of a ground experiment for Spaceflight Microbiome of a Food Crop Grown Using Different Substrate Moisture Levels (Plant Habitat-07). This investigation studies how plants, and their communities of microorganisms respond to different levels of water. Results could support development of systems for growing food crops on future missions. Image courtesy of the PH-07 Team.

iss050e013231 (12/2/2016) --- NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough during the first harvest of Outredgeous Red Romaine Lettuce from the Veggie facility during VEG-03. This first of four harvests is part of a new paradigm of harvesting entitled “Cut and Come Again” were the astronaut will only harvest the outer leaves allowing for an attempt at a longer growth of the plants.

Inside the Microbiology Lab at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 6, 2021, a microbiologist works with frozen lettuce samples that recently returned from the International Space Station as part of NASA’s SpaceX 23rd commercial resupply services mission. The experiment, titled VEG-03J, involved “Outredgeous” red romaine lettuce grown in the Veggie Production System (Veggie) on the space station and demonstrated a new way of storing, handling, and planting seeds in space. NASA is studying how to effectively grow crops in space so plants can provide supplemental nutrients to astronaut crews on long-duration missions, such as a mission to Mars.

Inside the Microbiology Lab at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 6, 2021, Microbiologist Jennifer Gooden works with frozen lettuce samples that recently returned from the International Space Station as part of NASA’s SpaceX 23rd commercial resupply services mission. The experiment, titled VEG-03J, involved “Outredgeous” red romaine lettuce grown in the Veggie Production System (Veggie) on the space station and demonstrated a new way of storing, handling, and planting seeds in space. NASA is studying how to effectively grow crops in space so plants can provide supplemental nutrients to astronaut crews on long-duration missions, such as a mission to Mars.

Inside the Microbiology Lab at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 6, 2021, Microbiology Lead Mary Hummerick works with frozen lettuce samples that recently returned from the International Space Station as part of NASA’s SpaceX 23rd commercial resupply services mission. The experiment, titled VEG-03J, involved “Outredgeous” red romaine lettuce grown in the Veggie Production System (Veggie) on the space station and demonstrated a new way of storing, handling, and planting seeds in space. NASA is studying how to effectively grow crops in space so plants can provide supplemental nutrients to astronaut crews on long-duration missions, such as a mission to Mars.

Inside the Microbiology Lab at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 6, 2021, Microbiology Lead Mary Hummerick, left, and Microbiologist Jennifer Gooden work with frozen lettuce samples that recently returned from the International Space Station as part of NASA’s SpaceX 23rd commercial resupply services mission. The experiment, titled VEG-03J, involved “Outredgeous” red romaine lettuce grown in the Veggie Production System (Veggie) on the space station and demonstrated a new way of storing, handling, and planting seeds in space. NASA is studying how to effectively grow crops in space so plants can provide supplemental nutrients to astronaut crews on long-duration missions, such as a mission to Mars.

Inside the Microbiology Lab at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 6, 2021, Microbiologist Aaron Curry works with frozen lettuce samples that recently returned from the International Space Station as part of NASA’s SpaceX 23rd commercial resupply services mission. The experiment, titled VEG-03J, involved “Outredgeous” red romaine lettuce grown in the Veggie Production System (Veggie) on the space station and demonstrated a new way of storing, handling, and planting seeds in space. NASA is studying how to effectively grow crops in space so plants can provide supplemental nutrients to astronaut crews on long-duration missions, such as a mission to Mars.

Inside the Microbiology Lab at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 6, 2021, microbiologists work with frozen lettuce samples that recently returned from the International Space Station as part of NASA’s SpaceX 23rd commercial resupply services mission. The experiment, titled VEG-03J, involved “Outredgeous” red romaine lettuce grown in the Veggie Production System (Veggie) on the space station and demonstrated a new way of storing, handling, and planting seeds in space. NASA is studying how to effectively grow crops in space so plants can provide supplemental nutrients to astronaut crews on long-duration missions, such as a mission to Mars.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Jim Smodell, left, a technician with SGT, and Chuck Spern, lead project engineer with QinetiQ North America on the Engineering Services Contract, move the plant pillows containing the outredgeous red lettuce leaves outside of the International Space Station Environmental Simulator chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The growth chamber was used as a control unit for Veggie and procedures were followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station. The chamber mimicked the temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of those in the Veggie unit on the space station. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth was monitored for 33 days. On June 10, at the end of the cycle, the plants were carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The plant pillows containing the outredgeous red lettuce leaves are being harvested inside the Payload Development Laboratory at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left, are Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, and George Guerra, a quality control engineer with QinetiQ North America. The plant pillows were removed from a growth chamber was used as a control unit for the Veggie plant growth system, and procedures were followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station. The chamber mimicked the temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of those in the Veggie unit on the space station. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth was monitored for 33 days. On June 10, at the end of the cycle, the plants were carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – From left, Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, and George Guerra, a quality control engineer with QinetiQ North America, review procedures for removing the plant pillows containing the outredgeous red lettuce leaves from the Veggie plant growth system inside the International Space Station Environmental Simulator chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The growth chamber was used as a control unit and procedures were followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station. The chamber mimicked the temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of those in the Veggie unit on the space station. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth was monitored for 33 days. On June 10, at the end of the cycle, the plants were carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the International Space Station Environmental Simulator chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, prepares to remove the bellows from the Veggie plant growth system containing the outredgeous red lettuce leaves. The growth chamber was used as a control unit and procedures were followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station. The chamber mimicked the temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of those in the Veggie unit on the space station. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth was monitored for 33 days. On June 10, at the end of the cycle, the plants were carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – From left, Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, and George Guerra, a quality control engineer with QinetiQ North America, prepare to remove the plant pillows containing the outredgeous red lettuce leaves from the Veggie plant growth system inside the International Space Station Environmental Simulator chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The growth chamber was used as a control unit and procedures were followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station. The chamber mimicked the temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of those in the Veggie unit on the space station. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth was monitored for 33 days. On June 10, at the end of the cycle, the plants were carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the International Space Station Environmental Simulator chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the bellows has been removed from around the Veggie plant growth system so that the plant pillows containing the outredgeous red lettuce leaves can be removed. The growth chamber was used as a control unit and procedures were followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station. The chamber mimicked the temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of those in the Veggie unit on the space station. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth was monitored for 33 days. On June 10, at the end of the cycle, the plants were carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, removes the plant pillows containing the outredgeous red lettuce leaves from the Veggie plant growth system inside the International Space Station Environmental Simulator chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The growth chamber was used as a control unit and procedures were followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station. The chamber mimicked the temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of those in the Veggie unit on the space station. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth was monitored for 33 days. On June 10, at the end of the cycle, the plants were carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The plant pillows containing the outredgeous red lettuce leaves have been removed from the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left, are Chuck Spern, lead project engineer with QinetiQ North America on the Engineering Services Contract, Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, and Gioia Massa, NASA payload scientist for Veggie. The growth chamber was used as a control unit for Veggie and procedures were followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station. The chamber mimicked the temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of those in the Veggie unit on the space station. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth was monitored for 33 days. On June 10, at the end of the cycle, the plants were carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, moves the plant pillows containing the outredgeous red lettuce leaves outside of the International Space Station Environmental Simulator chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The growth chamber was used as a control unit for Veggie and procedures were followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station. In the background is Chuck Spern, lead project engineer with QinetiQ North America on the Engineering Services Contract. The chamber mimicked the temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of those in the Veggie unit on the space station. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth was monitored for 33 days. On June 10, at the end of the cycle, the plants were carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, removes an outredgeous red lettuce leaf from a plant pillow inside the Payload Development Laboratory at the Space Station Processing Facility, or SSPF, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In the background is George Guerra, a quality control engineer with QinetiQ North America. The plant pillows were removed from the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the SSPF. The growth chamber was used as a control unit for Veggie and procedures were followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station. The chamber mimicked the temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of those in the Veggie unit on the space station. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth was monitored for 33 days. On June 10, at the end of the cycle, the plants were carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Researchers review procedures for harvesting the outredgeous red lettuce leaves in the Veggie plant growth system inside the International Space Station Environmental Simulator chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The growth chamber was used as a control unit and procedures were followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station. The chamber mimicked the temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of those in the Veggie unit on the space station. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth was monitored for 33 days. On June 10, at the end of the cycle, the plants were carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

Test crops are harvested inside the Veggie growth chamber in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 30, 2019, for a science verification test (SVT) to study their potential to grow in space. The harvest included ‘outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce, which has been grown in space before, and two new plant cultivars – amara mustard and shungiku, an Asian green comparable to an edible chrysanthemum. All three lettuce plants were grown from seed film, making this the first SVT with this new plant growth material. Earlier this year, the amara mustard and shungiku plants were grown for the first time using seed bags – referred to as pillows – during the Sustained Veggie project, a study funded by the Human Research Program.

Kennedy Space Center employees harvest test crops inside the Veggie growth chamber in the Florida spaceport’s Space Station Processing Facility on Sept. 30, 2019, for a science verification test (SVT) to study their potential to grown in space. The harvest included ‘outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce, which has been grown in space before, and two new plant cultivars – amara mustard and shungiku, an Asian green comparable to an edible chrysanthemum. All three lettuce plants were grown from seed film, making this the first SVT with this new plant growth material. Earlier this year, the amara mustard and shungiku plants were grown for the first time using seed bags – referred to as pillows – during the Sustained Veggie project, a study funded by the Human Research Program.

Kennedy Space Center Veggie Project Manager Trent Smith harvests test crops inside the Veggie growth chamber in the Florida spaceport’s Space Station Processing Facility on Sept. 30, 2019, for a science verification test (SVT) to study their potential to grown in space. The harvest included ‘outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce, which has been grown in space before, and two new plant cultivars – amara mustard and shungiku, an Asian green comparable to an edible chrysanthemum. All three lettuce plants were grown from seed film, making this the first SVT with this new plant growth material. Earlier this year, the amara mustard and shungiku plants were grown for the first time using seed bags – referred to as pillows – during the Sustained Veggie project, a study funded by the Human Research Program.

Test crops are harvested inside the Veggie growth chamber in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 30, 2019, for a science verification test (SVT) to study their potential to grow in space. The harvest included ‘outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce, which has been grown in space before, and two new plant cultivars – amara mustard and shungiku, an Asian green comparable to an edible chrysanthemum. All three lettuce plants were grown from seed film, making this the first SVT with this new plant growth material. Earlier this year, the amara mustard and shungiku plants were grown for the first time using seed bags – referred to as pillows – during the Sustained Veggie project, a study funded by the Human Research Program.

Jess Bunchek, an associate scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, harvests plant cultivars inside the Veggie growth chamber in the Space Station Processing Facility on Sept. 30, 2019, for a science verification test (SVT). This SVT will study the potential of three plants – amara mustard, ‘outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce and shungiku, an Asian green comparable to an edible chrysanthemum – to grow in space. All three lettuce plants were grown from seed film, making this the first SVT with this new plant growth material. Earlier this year, the amara mustard and shungiku plants were grown for the first time using seed bags – referred to as pillows – during the Sustained Veggie project, a study funded by the Human Research Program.

Jess Bunchek, an associate scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, harvests plant cultivars inside the Veggie growth chamber in the Space Station Processing Facility on Sept. 30, 2019, for a science verification test (SVT). This SVT will study the potential of three plants – amara mustard, ‘outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce and shungiku, an Asian green comparable to an edible chrysanthemum – to grow in space. All three lettuce plants were grown from seed film, making this the first SVT with this new plant growth material. Earlier this year, the amara mustard and shungiku plants were grown for the first time using seed bags – referred to as pillows – during the Sustained Veggie project, a study funded by the Human Research Program.

Jess Bunchek, an associate scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, harvests shungiku – an Asian green comparable to an edible chrysanthemum – inside the Veggie growth chamber in the Space Station Processing Facility on Sept. 30, 2019, for a science verification test (SVT). The SVT included the harvest of two other plant cultivars – amara mustard and ‘outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce – and will study their potential to grow in space. All three lettuce plants were grown from seed film, making this the first SVT with this new plant growth material. Earlier this year, the amara mustard and shungiku plants were grown for the first time using seed bags – referred to as pillows – during the Sustained Veggie project, a study funded by the Human Research Program.

Kennedy Space Center employee Anna Maria Ruby harvests plant cultivars inside the Veggie growth chamber in the Space Station Processing Facility on Sept. 30, 2019, for a science verification test (SVT). This SVT will study the potential of three plants – amara mustard, ‘outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce and shungiku, an Asian green comparable to an edible chrysanthemum – to grow in space. All three lettuce plants were grown from seed film, making this the first SVT with this new plant growth material. Earlier this year, the amara mustard and shungiku plants were grown for the first time using seed bags – referred to as pillows – during the Sustained Veggie project, a study funded by the Human Research Program.

Jess Bunchek, an associate scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, harvests shungiku – an Asian green comparable to an edible chrysanthemum – inside the Veggie growth chamber in the Space Station Processing Facility on Sept. 30, 2019, for a science verification test (SVT). The SVT included the harvest of two other plant cultivars – amara mustard and ‘outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce – and will study their potential to grow in space. All three lettuce plants were grown from seed film, making this the first SVT with this new plant growth material. Earlier this year, the amara mustard and shungiku plants were grown for the first time using seed bags – referred to as pillows – during the Sustained Veggie project, a study funded by the Human Research Program.

Three crops grown under a test condition representative of the International Space Station are photographed moments before harvest for a science verification test (SVT) in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 30, 2019. The SVT will study the potential of the three plant cultivars to grow in space. The harvest included ‘outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce, which has been grown in space before, and two new plant cultivars – amara mustard and shungiku, an Asian green comparable to an edible chrysanthemum. All three lettuce plants were grown from seed film, making this the first SVT with this new plant growth material. Earlier this year, the amara mustard and shungiku plants were grown for the first time using seed bags – referred to as pillows – during the Sustained Veggie project, a study funded by the Human Research Program.

Jess Bunchek, an associate scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, observes plant cultivars inside the Veggie growth chamber in the Space Station Processing Facility prior to harvesting them on Sept. 30, 2019, for a science verification test (SVT). This SVT will study the potential of three plants – amara mustard, ‘outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce and shungiku, an Asian green comparable to an edible chrysanthemum – to grow in space. All three lettuce plants were grown from seed film, making this the first SVT with this new plant growth material. Earlier this year, the amara mustard and shungiku plants were grown for the first time using seed bags – referred to as pillows – during the Sustained Veggie project, a study funded by the Human Research Program.

Jess Bunchek, an associate scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, harvests shungiku – an Asian green comparable to an edible chrysanthemum – inside the Veggie growth chamber in the Space Station Processing Facility on Sept. 30, 2019, for a science verification test (SVT). The SVT included the harvest of two other plant cultivars – amara mustard and ‘outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce – and will study their potential to grow in space. All three lettuce plants were grown from seed film, making this the first SVT with this new plant growth material. Earlier this year, the amara mustard and shungiku plants were grown for the first time using seed bags – referred to as pillows – during the Sustained Veggie project, a study funded by the Human Research Program.

Three crops grown under a test condition representative of the International Space Station are photographed moments before harvest for a science verification test (SVT) in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 30, 2019. The SVT will study the potential of the three plant cultivars to grow in space. The harvest included ‘outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce, which has been grown in space before, and two new plant cultivars – amara mustard and shungiku, an Asian green comparable to an edible chrysanthemum. All three lettuce plants were grown from seed film, making this the first SVT with this new plant growth material. Earlier this year, the amara mustard and shungiku plants were grown for the first time using seed bags – referred to as pillows – during the Sustained Veggie project, a study funded by the Human Research Program.

Kennedy Space Center employee Anna Maria Ruby observes plant cultivars inside the Veggie growth chamber in the Space Station Processing Facility prior to harvesting them on Sept. 30, 2019, for a science verification test (SVT). This SVT will study the potential of three plants – amara mustard, ‘outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce and shungiku, an Asian green comparable to an edible chrysanthemum – to grow in space. All three lettuce plants were grown from seed film, making this the first SVT with this new plant growth material. Earlier this year, the amara mustard and shungiku plants were grown for the first time using seed bags – referred to as pillows – during the Sustained Veggie project, a study funded by the Human Research Program.

Jess Bunchek, an associate scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, harvests plant cultivars inside the Veggie growth chamber in the Space Station Processing Facility on Sept. 30, 2019, for a science verification test (SVT). This SVT will study the potential of three plants – amara mustard, ‘outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce and shungiku, an Asian green comparable to an edible chrysanthemum – to grow in space. All three lettuce plants were grown from seed film, making this the first SVT with this new plant growth material. Earlier this year, the amara mustard and shungiku plants were grown for the first time using seed bags – referred to as pillows – during the Sustained Veggie project, a study funded by the Human Research Program.

Three crops grown under a test condition representative of the International Space Station are photographed moments before harvest for a science verification test (SVT) in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 30, 2019. The SVT will study the potential of the three plant cultivars to grow in space. The harvest included ‘outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce, which has been grown in space before, and two new plant cultivars – amara mustard and shungiku, an Asian green comparable to an edible chrysanthemum. All three lettuce plants were grown from seed film, making this the first SVT with this new plant growth material. Earlier this year, the amara mustard and shungiku plants were grown for the first time using seed bags – referred to as pillows – during the Sustained Veggie project, a study funded by the Human Research Program.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Researchers document the ground control plant pillows in the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida prior to thinning them to one plant each. The growth chamber is being used as a control unit and procedures are being followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth was monitored for 28 days. At the end of the cycle, the plants will be carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth. Photo credit: NASA/Charles Spern

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Researchers document the growth of the ground control plants in the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida prior to thinning them to one plant each. The growth chamber is being used as a control unit and procedures are being followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth was monitored for 28 days. At the end of the cycle, the plants will be carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth. Photo credit: NASA/Charles Spern

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This prototype VEGGIE hardware was designed and built by Orbital Technologies Corp. of Madison, Wisc. U.S. astronauts living and working aboard the International Space Station are going to receive a newly developed Vegetable Production System VEGGIE. VEGGIE is set to launch aboard SpaceX's Dragon capsule on NASA's third Commercial Resupply Services mission targeted to launch Dec. 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/Gioia Massa

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, removes an outredgeous red lettuce leaf from a plant pillow inside the Payload Development Laboratory at the Space Station Processing Facility, or SSPF, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The plant pillows were removed from the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the SSPF. The growth chamber was used as a control unit for Veggie and procedures were followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station. The lettuce leaves will be wrapped and placed in a minus eighty-degree freezer, along with the plant pillows and samples swabbed from the plants, plant pillows and Veggie bellows. The chamber mimicked the temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of those in the Veggie unit on the space station. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth was monitored for 33 days. On June 10, at the end of the cycle, the plants were carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The plant pillows containing the outredgeous red lettuce leaves have been removed from the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left, are Trent Smith, NASA project manager in the ISS Ground Processing and Research Project Office, Chuck Spern, lead project engineer with QinetiQ North America on the Engineering Services Contract, George Guerra, quality control engineer with QinetiQ North America, Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, Gioia Massa, NASA payload scientist for Veggie, and Nicole Dufour, NASA Engineering and Technology. The growth chamber was used as a control unit for Veggie and procedures were followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station. The chamber mimicked the temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of those in the Veggie unit on the space station. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth was monitored for 33 days. On June 10, at the end of the cycle, the plants were carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Researchers have activated the red, blue and green LED lights on the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left, are Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, and Chuck Spern, lead project engineer with QinetiQ North America. The growth chamber will be used as a control unit and procedures will be followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth will be monitored for 28 days. At the end of the cycle, the plants will be carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Researchers have activated the red, blue and green LED lights on the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In front, is Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT. Behind him is George Guerra, a quality control engineer with QinetiQ North America. The growth chamber will be used as a control unit and procedures will be followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth will be monitored for 28 days. At the end of the cycle, the plants will be carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Researchers activate the red, blue and green LED lights on the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left, are Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, and Chuck Spern, lead project engineer, with QinetiQ North America. The growth chamber will be used as a control unit and procedures will be followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth will be monitored for 28 days. At the end of the cycle, the plants will be carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Researchers document the growth of the ground control plants in the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida prior to thinning them to one plant each. The growth chamber is being used as a control unit and procedures are being followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station. The chamber mimics the temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of those in the Veggie unit on the space station. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth was monitored for 28 days. At the end of the cycle, the plants will be carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth. Photo credit: NASA/Charles Spern

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Researchers fill a water bag with ionized water for the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In front is Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT. Standing behind him is Chuck Spern, lead project engineer with QinetiQ North America. The growth chamber will be used as a control unit and procedures will be followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth will be monitored for 28 days. At the end of the cycle, the plants will be carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Researchers acquire the ionized water for the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left, are Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, and George Guerra, a quality control engineer with QinetiQ North America. The growth chamber will be used as a control unit and procedures will be followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth will be monitored for 28 days. At the end of the cycle, the plants will be carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Researchers prepare to activate the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left, are George Guerra, quality control engineer, and Chuck Spern, lead project engineer, both with QinetiQ North America on the Engineering Services Contract. The growth chamber will be used as a control unit and procedures will be followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth will be monitored for 28 days. At the end of the cycle, the plants will be carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At far right, Jim Smodell, a technician with SGT, shows a plant pillow from the Veggie plant growth system to Gioia Massa, NASA payload scientist for Veggie. Partially hidden behind Smodell is Chuck Spern, lead project engineer with QinetiQ North America on the Engineering Services Contract. At left is Trent Smith, NASA project manager in the ISS Ground Processing and Research Project Office, and Nicole Dufour, NASA Engineering and Technology Directorate. They are in the Payload Development Laboratory at the Space Station Processing Facility, or SSPF, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The plant pillows were removed from the Veggie plant growth system inside a control chamber at the SSPF. The growth chamber was used as a control unit for Veggie and procedures were followed identical to those being performed on Veggie and the Veg-01 experiment on the International Space Station. The chamber mimicked the temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration of those in the Veggie unit on the space station. Veggie and Veg-01 were delivered to the space station aboard the SpaceX-3 mission. Veggie is the first fresh food production system delivered to the station. Six plant pillows, each containing outredgeous red romaine lettuce seeds and a root mat were inserted into Veggie. The plant chamber's red, blue and green LED lights were activated. The plant growth was monitored for 33 days. On June 10, at the end of the cycle, the plants were carefully harvested, frozen and stored for return to Earth by Expedition 39 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Steve Swanson. Photo credit: NASA/Frankie Martin

Space crop production scientist Oscar Monje harvests Outredgeous romaine lettuce for preflight testing of the Plant Habitat-07 (PH-07) experiment inside a laboratory at the Space Systems Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. PH-07 will be sent to the International Space Station on NASA’s SpaceX 31st commercial resupply services mission to study how optimal and suboptimal moisture conditions impact plant growth, nutrient content, and the plant microbiome.

Space crop production scientist Oscar Monje harvests Outredgeous romaine lettuce for preflight testing of the Plant Habitat-07 (PH-07) experiment inside a laboratory at the Space Systems Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. PH-07 will be sent to the International Space Station on NASA’s SpaceX 31st commercial resupply services mission to study how optimal and suboptimal moisture conditions impact plant growth, nutrient content, and the plant microbiome.

Inside a laboratory in the Space Systems Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a plant biologist harvests Outredgeous romaine lettuce growing in the Advanced Plant Habitat ground unit as the ground control portion of the Plant Habitat-07 (PH-07) experiment on Thursday, April 24, 2025. PH-07 was sent to the International Space Station on NASA’s SpaceX 31st commercial resupply services mission to study how optimal and suboptimal moisture conditions impact plant growth, nutrient content, and the plant microbiome.

Inside a laboratory in the Space Systems Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a plant biologist harvests Outredgeous romaine lettuce growing in the Advanced Plant Habitat ground unit as the ground control portion of the Plant Habitat-07 (PH-07) experiment on Thursday, April 24, 2025. PH-07 was sent to the International Space Station on NASA’s SpaceX 31st commercial resupply services mission to study how optimal and suboptimal moisture conditions impact plant growth, nutrient content, and the plant microbiome.

Space crop production scientists Oscar Monje (left) and Blake Costine harvest Outredgeous romaine lettuce for preflight testing of the Plant Habitat-07 (PH-07) experiment inside a laboratory at the Space Systems Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. PH-07 will be sent to the International Space Station on NASA’s SpaceX 31st commercial resupply services mission to study how optimal and suboptimal moisture conditions impact plant growth, nutrient content, and the plant microbiome.

Plant biologists inside a laboratory in the Space Systems Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, prepare to harvest Outredgeous romaine lettuce growing in the Advanced Plant Habitat ground unit as the ground control portion of the Plant Habitat-07 (PH-07) experiment on Thursday, April 24, 2025. PH-07 was sent to the International Space Station on NASA’s SpaceX 31st commercial resupply services mission to study how optimal and suboptimal moisture conditions impact plant growth, nutrient content, and the plant microbiome.

Space crop production scientists Oscar Monje (left) and Blake Costine harvest Outredgeous romaine lettuce for preflight testing of the Plant Habitat-07 (PH-07) experiment inside a laboratory at the Space Systems Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. PH-07 will be sent to the International Space Station on NASA’s SpaceX 31st commercial resupply services mission to study how optimal and suboptimal moisture conditions impact plant growth, nutrient content, and the plant microbiome.

Plant biologists inside a laboratory in the Space Systems Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, prepare to harvest Outredgeous romaine lettuce growing in the Advanced Plant Habitat ground unit as the ground control portion of the Plant Habitat-07 (PH-07) experiment on Thursday, April 24, 2025. PH-07 was sent to the International Space Station on NASA’s SpaceX 31st commercial resupply services mission to study how optimal and suboptimal moisture conditions impact plant growth, nutrient content, and the plant microbiome.

Inside a laboratory in the Space Systems Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a plant biologist harvests Outredgeous romaine lettuce growing in the Advanced Plant Habitat ground unit as the ground control portion of the Plant Habitat-07 (PH-07) experiment on Thursday, April 24, 2025. PH-07 was sent to the International Space Station on NASA’s SpaceX 31st commercial resupply services mission to study how optimal and suboptimal moisture conditions impact plant growth, nutrient content, and the plant microbiome.

Space crop production scientists inside a laboratory at the Space Systems Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida harvest Outredgeous romaine lettuce for preflight testing of the Plant Habitat-07 (PH-07) experiment on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. PH-07 will be sent to the International Space Station on NASA’s SpaceX 31st commercial resupply services mission to study how optimal and suboptimal moisture conditions impact plant growth, nutrient content, and the plant microbiome.