jsc2025e036383 (4/4/2025) --- The blue box is The Redwire Industrial Crystallization Cassette (ICC), a facility capable of large quantities of crystal growth. The white cylindrical growth chamber below the ICC is capable of holding 200mL in volume, compared to <1mL held by the PIL-BOX cassettes. The ADSEP Industrial Crystallization Cassette Technology Demonstration (ADSEP-ICC) investigation validates the ICC’s capability to grow large quantities of crystals in its high-volume crystal growth chambers aboard the International Space Station. Image courtesy of Redwire.

ISS002-E-6300 (22 May 2001) --- James S. Voss, Expedition Two flight engineer, works with the Advanced Astro Culture (ADVASC) Condensate Fluid Syringe at the ADVASC Growth Chamber in the U.S. Laboratory. The image was taken with a digital still camera.

ISS015-E-23475 (20 Aug. 2007) --- Close-up view of a plant growth experiment in an Education Payload Operations experiment collapsible growth chamber (labeled "Lettuce") photographed in the U.S. Laboratory or Destiny module aboard the International Space Station during Expedition 15.

Radish plants are growing inside the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 13, 2019. The plants are being grown as part of a science verification test for PH-02, a Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications-funded experiment which seeks to determine the effects of spaceflight on radishes. The APH is a highly automated plant growth chamber with 180 sensors and is able to closely regulate variables related to plant growth.

Radish plants are growing inside the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 13, 2019. The plants are being grown as part of a science verification test for PH-02, a Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications-funded experiment which seeks to determine the effects of spaceflight on radishes. The APH is a highly automated plant growth chamber with 180 sensors and is able to closely regulate variables related to plant growth.

Radish plants are growing inside the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 13, 2019. The plants are being grown as part of a science verification test for PH-02, a Space Life and Physical Sciences Research and Applications-funded experiment which seeks to determine the effects of spaceflight on radishes. The APH is a highly automated plant growth chamber with 180 sensors and is able to closely regulate variables related to plant growth.

A colorful radish plant is in view inside the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 13, 2019. The radishes are being grown as part of a science verification test. The APH is currently the largest plant chamber built for the agency in use on the International Space Station. It is an autonomous plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station with the goal of enabling astronauts to be sustainable on long duration missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

A radish plant is weighed inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 13, 2019. The radishes are being harvested from the base of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit as part of a science verification test. The APH is currently the largest plant chamber built for the agency in use on the International Space Station. It is an autonomous plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station with the goal of enabling astronauts to be sustainable on long duration missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

Water and nutrients are being added to plants in the Veggie hardware in NASA Kennedy Space Center's ISS environment simulator chamber. Mizuna mustard, Outredgeous lettuce and Waldmann's green lettuce are growing in Veggie. Growth in the chamber mimics the growth of plant experiments in the Veggie plant growth system on the International Space Station.

Outredgeous red leaf lettuce, Mizuna mustard and Waldmann's green lettuce are growing in the Veggie control system in the ISS environment simulator chamber in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Growth in the chamber mimics the growth of plant experiments in the Veggie plant growth system on the International Space Station.

The COS consists of a specially designed (VDA) Vapor Diffusion Apparatus tray with 6 chambers, a video camera for each chamber, a lighting system, and associated hardware. By observing the crystal growth in each chamber, researchers can identify which conditions and concentrations of proteins and precipitants are best for promoting the crystal growth to a particular protein.

Clayton Grosse, a mechanical engineer with Techshot, prepares to harvest radish plants from the base of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 13, 2019. The radishes are being harvested as part of a science verification test. The APH is currently the largest plant chamber built for the agency in use on the International Space Station. It is an autonomous plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station with the goal of enabling astronauts to be sustainable on long duration missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

Inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a plant biologist prepares to harvest radish plants growing in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit on June 13, 2019. The radishes are being harvested as part of a science verification test. The APH is currently the largest plant chamber built for the agency in use on the International Space Station. It is an autonomous plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station with the goal of enabling astronauts to be sustainable on long duration missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

From left, Oscar Monje, Ph.D., a plant physiologist with AECOM Management Services; and Alora Mazarakis, an electrical engineer with Techshot, prepare to harvest radish plants from the base of the Advanced Plant Habitat ground unit inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 13, 2019. The radishes are being harvested as part of a science verification test. The APH is currently the largest plant chamber built for the agency in use on the International Space Station. It is an autonomous plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station with the goal of enabling astronauts to be sustainable on long duration missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

Inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, plant biologists prepare to harvest radish plants growing in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit on June 13, 2019. The radishes are being harvested as part of a science verification test. The APH is currently the largest plant chamber built for the agency in use on the International Space Station. It is an autonomous plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station with the goal of enabling astronauts to be sustainable on long duration missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

Oscar Monje, Ph.D., a plant physiologist with AECOM Management Services, weighs a harvested radish plant inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 13, 2019. The radishes are being harvested from the base of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit as part of a science verification test. The APH is currently the largest plant chamber built for the agency in use on the International Space Station. It is an autonomous plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station with the goal of enabling astronauts to be sustainable on long duration missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

Inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a plant biologist prepares to harvest radish plants growing in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit on June 13, 2019. The radishes are being harvested as part of a science verification test. The APH is currently the largest plant chamber built for the agency in use on the International Space Station. It is an autonomous plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station with the goal of enabling astronauts to be sustainable on long duration missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

A sample of a leaf from one of the radish plant growing in the base of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit is taken inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 13, 2019. The radishes are being harvested as part of a science verification test. The APH is currently the largest plant chamber built for the agency in use on the International Space Station. It is an autonomous plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station with the goal of enabling astronauts to be sustainable on long duration missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

Clayton Grosse, a mechanical engineer with Techshot, uses a punch to take a sample of the leaf of a radish plant growing in the base of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) ground unit, inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 13, 2019. The radishes are being harvested as part of a science verification test. The APH is currently the largest plant chamber built for the agency in use on the International Space Station. It is an autonomous plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station with the goal of enabling astronauts to be sustainable on long duration missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

NASA interns Jessica Scotten, left, and Ayla Grandpre water plants in the Veggie hardware in NASA Kennedy Space Center's ISS environment simulator chamber. Mizuna mustard, Outredgeous lettuce and Waldmann's green lettuce are growing in Veggie. Growth in the chamber mimics the growth of plant experiments in the Veggie plant growth system on the International Space Station.

Three different varieties of plants growing in the Veggie plant growth chamber on the International Space Station were harvested this morning.

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

From left are Ashleigh Ruggles, a launch operations support specialist with Techshot; Oscar Monje, Ph.D., a plant physiologist with AECOM Management Services; and Sam Logan, senior mechanical engineering technician; and Alora Mazarakis, an electrical engineer, both with Techshot. They are harvesting radish plants from the base of the Advanced Plant Habitat ground unit inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 13, 2019. The radishes are being harvested as part of a science verification test. The APH is currently the largest plant chamber built for the agency in use on the International Space Station. It is an autonomous plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station with the goal of enabling astronauts to be sustainable on long duration missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

jsc2025e036385 (4/4/2025) --- A lineup of Redwire hardware. Left: Redwire’s in-space pharmaceutical manufacturing system (PIL-BOX) system are chambers that allow crystal growth in small batches. Middle: The Redwire Advanced Space Experiment Processor (ADSEP) in an open configuration onto which either the PIL-BOX or ICC can be installed. Right: The Redwire Industrial Crystallization Cassette (ICC), a facility capable of larger quantities of crystal growth than the PIL-BOX. The ADSEP Industrial Crystallization Cassette Technology Demonstration (ADSEP-ICC) investigation validates the ICC’s capability to grow large quantities of crystals in its high-volume crystal growth chambers aboard the International Space Station. Image courtesy of Redwire.

jsc2025e036384 (4/4/2025) --- A lineup of Redwire hardware. Left: Redwire’s in-space pharmaceutical manufacturing system (PIL-BOX) system are chambers that allow crystal growth in small batches. Middle: The Redwire Advanced Space Experiment Processor (ADSEP) in a close configuration onto which either the PIL-BOX or ICC can be installed. Right: The Redwire Industrial Crystallization Cassette (ICC), a facility capable of larger quantities of crystal growth than the PIL-BOX. The ADSEP Industrial Crystallization Cassette Technology Demonstration (ADSEP-ICC) investigation validates the ICC’s capability to grow large quantities of crystals in its high-volume crystal growth chambers aboard the International Space Station. Image courtesy of Redwire.

Two visitors watch a TV monitor showing plant growth inside a growth chamber designed for operation aboard the Space Shuttle as part of NASA's Space Product Development program. The exhibit, featuring work by the Wisconsin Center for Space Automation and Robotics, was at AirVenture 2000 sponsored by the Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh, WI.

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

iss071e439621 (Aug. 7, 2024) -- Rhodium science chambers are pictured prior to storage in an ambient locker location aboard the International Space Station. The Swinburne Youth Space Innovation Challenge 2023 Examining Mushroom Growth in Microgravity, or Rhodium Microgravity Mycelium investigation, tests the growth rates of mycelia, the root structures of mushrooms, in space. Microgravity can alter the growth rates of other organisms and understanding how it affects mycelium growth rate and biomass production could provide insight into growth characteristics of fungi. Mushrooms have recognized nutritional value and results could lead to more efficient mushroom growth and new strains of mushrooms as potential food sources for space travel and for research on Earth.

iss071e439623 (Aug. 7, 2024) -- Rhodium science chambers are pictured prior to storage in an ambient locker location aboard the International Space Station. The Swinburne Youth Space Innovation Challenge 2023 Examining Mushroom Growth in Microgravity, or Rhodium Microgravity Mycelium investigation, tests the growth rates of mycelia, the root structures of mushrooms, in space. Microgravity can alter the growth rates of other organisms and understanding how it affects mycelium growth rate and biomass production could provide insight into growth characteristics of fungi. Mushrooms have recognized nutritional value and results could lead to more efficient mushroom growth and new strains of mushrooms as potential food sources for space travel and for research on Earth.

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

iss055e001961 (March 12, 2018) --- Astronaut Norishige Kanai, of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, holds dwarf wheat plants grown inside the Plant Habitat growth chamber located in Japan's Kibo laboratory module.

Jeffrey Richards, a project science coordinator with URS Federal Services, secures Arabidopsis seeds, commonly known as thale cress, in the science carrier, or base, of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, May 9. The APH base will be delivered to the International Space Station aboard Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft on the company's ninth Commercial Resupply Services mission for NASA. The APH is the largest plant chamber built for the agency. It is a fully automated plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station. Cygnus will launch on Orbital ATK's Antares rocket from Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia. Launch is targeted for May 20, 2018.

Jeffrey Richards, a project science coordinator with URS Federal Services, secures Arabidopsis seeds, commonly known as thale cress, in the science carrier, or base, of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, May 9. The APH base will be delivered to the International Space Station aboard Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft on the company's ninth Commercial Resupply Services mission for NASA. The APH is the largest plant chamber built for the agency. It is a fully automated plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station. Cygnus will launch on Orbital ATK's Antares rocket from Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia. Launch is targeted for May 20, 2018.

Inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, research scientists prepare the science carrier, or base, of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) for planting of Arabidopsis seeds, commonly known as thale cress, on Wednesday, May 9. The APH base will be delivered to the International Space Station aboard Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft on the company's ninth Commercial Resupply Services mission for NASA. The APH is the largest plant chamber built for the agency. It is a fully automated plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station. Cygnus will launch on Orbital ATK's Antares rocket from Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia. Launch is targeted for May 20, 2018.

Inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, research scientists prepare the science carrier, or base, of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) for planting of Arabidopsis seeds, commonly known as thale cress, on Wednesday, May 9. The APH base will be delivered to the International Space Station aboard Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft on the company's ninth Commercial Resupply Services mission for NASA. The APH is the largest plant chamber built for the agency. It is a fully automated plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station. Cygnus will launch on Orbital ATK's Antares rocket from Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia. Launch is targeted for May 20, 2018.

Jeffrey Richards, at left, a project science coordinator with URS Federal Services, secures Arabidopsis seeds, commonly known as thale cress, in the science carrier, or base, of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, May 9. The APH base will be delivered to the International Space Station aboard Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft on the company's ninth Commercial Resupply Services mission for NASA. The APH is the largest plant chamber built for the agency. It is a fully automated plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station. Cygnus will launch on Orbital ATK's Antares rocket from Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia. Launch is targeted for May 20, 2018.

Inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a research scientist prepares a fixative which will be used to secure Arabidopsis seeds, commonly known as thale cress, inside the science carrier, or base, of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) on Wednesday, May 9. The APH base will be delivered to the International Space Station aboard Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft on the company's ninth Commercial Resupply Services mission for NASA. The APH is the largest plant chamber built for the agency. It is a fully automated plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station. Cygnus will launch on Orbital ATK's Antares rocket from Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia. Launch is targeted for May 20, 2018.

Jeffrey Richards, a project science coordinator with URS Federal Services, uses a fixative to secure Arabidopsis seeds, commonly known as thale cress, in the science carrier, or base, of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, May 9. The APH base will be delivered to the International Space Station aboard Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft on the company's ninth Commercial Resupply Services mission for NASA. The APH is the largest plant chamber built for the agency. It is a fully automated plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station. Cygnus will launch on Orbital ATK's Antares rocket from Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia. Launch is targeted for May 20, 2018.

Inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, several varieties of Arabidopsis seeds, commonly known as thale cress, are being prepared for securing in the science carrier, or base, of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) on Wednesday, May 9. The APH base will be delivered to the International Space Station aboard Orbital ATK's Cygnus spacecraft on the company's ninth Commercial Resupply Services mission for NASA. The APH is the largest plant chamber built for the agency. It is a fully automated plant growth facility that is being used to conduct bioscience research on the space station. Cygnus will launch on Orbital ATK's Antares rocket from Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia. Launch is targeted for May 20, 2018.

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. – 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, 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

Mizuna Mustard mustard greens, part of the Veg-04A experiment, are shown growing in a Veggie plant growth chamber aboard the International Space Station on July 9, 2019. The Veg-04A experiment tested the greens, grown in blue-rich lighting and red-rich lighting, to determine the effects of different light ratios on plants grown in space on the station. The plants arrived aboard the SpaceX Commercial Resupply Services-16 mission. Astronaut Christina Koch initiated the on-orbit experiment on June 4, 2019, in the station’s two Veggie plant growth chambers, with six plant pillows per chamber. On June 11, 2019, Koch thinned the Mizuna plants to one plant per pillow. The on-orbit harvest took place July 9, 2019, with astronaut Nick Hague harvesting the plants grown under blue-rich light and Koch harvesting the plants grown under red-rich lights.

Mizuna Mustard mustard greens, part of the Veg-04A experiment, are shown growing in a Veggie plant growth chamber aboard the International Space Station on July 9, 2019. The Veg-04A experiment tested the greens, grown in blue-rich lighting and red-rich lighting, to determine the effects of different light ratios on plants grown in space on the station. The plants arrived aboard the SpaceX Commercial Resupply Services-16 mission. Astronaut Christina Koch initiated the on-orbit experiment on June 4, 2019, in the station’s two Veggie plant growth chambers, with six plant pillows per chamber. On June 11, 2019, Koch thinned the Mizuna plants to one plant per pillow. The on-orbit harvest took place July 9, 2019, with astronaut Nick Hague harvesting the plants grown under blue-rich light and Koch harvesting the plants grown under red-rich lights.

jsc2021e037285 (2/12/2021) --- A preflight view of the XROOTS hardware. The eXposed Root On-Orbit Test System (XROOTS) investigation uses hydroponic and aeroponic techniques to grow plants without soil or other growth media. Video and still images enable evaluation of multiple independent growth chambers for the entire plant life cycle from seed germination through maturity. Results could identify suitable methods to produce crops on a larger scale for future space missions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In a plant growth chamber in the KSC Space Life Sciences Lab, plant physiologist Ray Wheeler checks onions being grown using hydroponic techniques. The other plants are Bibb lettuce (left) and radishes (right). Wheeler and other colleagues are researching plant growth under different types of light, different CO2 concentrations and temperatures. The Lab is exploring various aspects of a bioregenerative life support system. Such research and technology development will be crucial to long-term habitation of space by humans.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In a plant growth chamber in the KSC Space Life Sciences Lab, plant physiologist Ray Wheeler checks radishes being grown using hydroponic techniques. Wheeler and other colleagues are researching plant growth under different types of light, different CO2 concentrations and temperatures. The Lab is exploring various aspects of a bioregenerative life support system. Such research and technology development will be crucial to long-term habitation of space by humans.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In a plant growth chamber in the KSC Space Life Sciences Lab, plant physiologist Ray Wheeler checks radishes being grown using hydroponic techniques. Wheeler and other colleagues are researching plant growth under different types of light, different CO2 concentrations and temperatures. The Lab is exploring various aspects of a bioregenerative life support system. Such research and technology development will be crucial to long-term habitation of space by humans.

ISS040-E-009116 (10 June 2014) --- In the International Space Station?s Harmony node, NASA astronaut Steve Swanson, Expedition 40 commander, harvests a crop of red romaine lettuce plants that were grown from seed inside the station?s Veggie facility, a low-cost plant growth chamber that uses a flat-panel light bank for plant growth and crew observation. For the Veg-01 experiment, researchers are testing and validating the Veggie hardware, and the plants will be returned to Earth to determine food safety.

ISS040-E-009125 (10 June 2014) --- In the International Space Station?s Harmony node, NASA astronaut Steve Swanson, Expedition 40 commander, harvests a crop of red romaine lettuce plants that were grown from seed inside the station?s Veggie facility, a low-cost plant growth chamber that uses a flat-panel light bank for plant growth and crew observation. For the Veg-01 experiment, researchers are testing and validating the Veggie hardware, and the plants will be returned to Earth to determine food safety.

ISS040-E-009124 (10 June 2014) --- In the International Space Station?s Harmony node, NASA astronaut Steve Swanson, Expedition 40 commander, harvests a crop of red romaine lettuce plants that were grown from seed inside the station?s Veggie facility, a low-cost plant growth chamber that uses a flat-panel light bank for plant growth and crew observation. For the Veg-01 experiment, researchers are testing and validating the Veggie hardware, and the plants will be returned to Earth to determine food safety.

Tomato plants are growing under red and blue LED lights in a growth chamber inside a laboratory at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The plant growth is being tested in the Veggie Passive Orbital Nutrient Delivery System (PONDS). Veggie PONDS is a direct follow-on to the Veg-01 and Veg-03 hardware and plant growth validation tests. The primary goal of this newly developed plant growing system, Veggie PONDS, is to demonstrate uniform plant growth. PONDS units have features that are designed to mitigate microgravity effects on water distribution, increase oxygen exchange and provide sufficient room for root zone growth. PONDS is planned for use during Veg-04 and Veg-05 on the International Space Station after the Veggie PONDS Validation flights on SpaceX-14 and OA-9.

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 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. – 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 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. 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 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 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. 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 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

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 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

jsc2021e010330 (3/9/2021) --- A preflight photo of the TICTOC cotton growth chamber containing a seedling ready for harvest. Targeting Improved Cotton Through Orbital Cultivation (TICTOC) investigates the morphological and molecular adaptations of cotton seedlings to the microgravity environment encountered in the International Space Station (ISS). Image courtesy of Tom Dreschel.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Employees check out the new chamber facilities of the Space Life Sciences Lab (SLSL), formerly known as the Space Experiment Research and Processing Laboratory (SERPL). From left are Ray Wheeler, with NASA; Debbie Wells and Larry Burns, with Dynamac; A.O. Rule, president of Environmental Growth Chambers, Inc. (ECG); Neil Yorio, with Dynamac; and John Wiezchowski, with ECG. The SLSL is a state-of-the-art facility being built for ISS biotechnology research. Developed as a partnership between NASA-KSC and the State of Florida, NASA’s life sciences contractor will be the primary tenant of the facility, leasing space to conduct flight experiment processing and NASA-sponsored research. About 20 percent of the facility will be available for use by Florida’s university researchers through the Florida Space Research Institute.

Early Human Testing (EHT) Initiative Phase 1 Regenerative Life Support Systems Laboratory (RLSSL). Nigel Packham activities in the Variable Pressure Growth Chamber which he lived inside for 15 days. A crowd of well-wishers outside the test chamber, at the console are John Lewis, Ed Mohr and Marybeth Edeen (15577). Packham exiting the chamber (15578-81). Packham is the focus of television cameras and reporters (15582-3). Don Henninger interviewed by reporters (15584). Packham is presented with a jacket after his stay in the chamber (15585). Packham inside the wheat growth chamber checking the condition of the plants (15586-7, 15597). Packham exercising on a recumbant bicycle (15588, 15592). Packham, through the window into the growth chamber, displays a handful of wheat plants to console monitor Dan Barta (15589-90). Group portrait of the team conducting the Early Human Testing Initiative Phase 1 Regenerative Life Support Systems test and include, front row, from left: Jeff Dominick and Don Overton and back row, from left, unidentified member, Marybeth Edeen, Nigel Packham, John Lewis, Ed Mohr, Dan Barta and Tim Monk (15591). Harry Halford prepares to send a package through the airlock to Packham (15593). Packham displays a handful of wheat plants (15594). Packham fixes himself a bowl of cereal (15595) and retrieves a carton of milk from the refrigerator (15596). Packham retrieves a package from the airlock (15598). Packham packs up trash in plastic bag (15599-600) and sends it back through the airlock (15601). Packham gets a cup of water (15602) and heats it in the microwave (15603).

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. – 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. – 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

The first growth test of crops in the Advanced Plant Habitat aboard the International Space Station yielded great results. Arabidopsis seeds – small flowering plants related to cabbage and mustard – grew for about six weeks and the dwarf wheat for five weeks. The APH is now ready to support large plant testing on ISS. APH is a fully enclosed, closed-loop system with an environmentally controlled growth chamber. It uses red, blue and green LED lights, and broad spectrum white LED lights. The system's more than 180 sensors will relay real-time information, including temperature, oxygen content and moisture levels back to the team at Kennedy Space Center.

jsc2021e036657 (8/11/2021) --- Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings following 9 days of growth on 1.2% agar-based media in petri dishes in the VEGGIE growth chamber under temperature, humidity and CO2 conditions mimicking those recorded at the International Space Station. The genotypes of these plants are indicated at the bottom of each panel. These images were taken during the Science Verification Test carried out at NASA Kennedy Space Center. All genotypes grew equally well under these conditions except for the cuao3-100cdr7 mutant, which grew more slowly.

Arabidopsis thaliana plants are seen inside the growth chamber of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) Flight Unit No. 1 prior to harvest of half the plants. The harvest is part of an ongoing verification test of the APH unit, which is located inside the International Space Station Environmental Simulator in NASA Kennedy Space Center's Space Station Processing Facility. The APH undergoing testing at Kennedy is identical to one on the station and uses red, green and broad-spectrum white LED lights to grow plants in an environmentally controlled chamber. The seeds grown during the verification test will be grown on the station to help scientists understand how these plants adapt to spaceflight.

John "JC" Carver, a payload integration engineer with NASA Kennedy Space Center's Test and Operations Support Contract, harvests half the Arabidopsis thaliana plants inside the growth chamber of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) Flight Unit No. 1. The harvest is part of an ongoing verification test of the APH unit, which is located inside the International Space Station Environmental Simulator in Kennedy's Space Station Processing Facility. The APH undergoing testing at Kennedy is identical to one on the station and uses red, green and broad-spectrum white LED lights to grow plants in an environmentally controlled chamber. The seeds grown during the verification test will be grown on the station to help scientists understand how these plants adapt to spaceflight.

A researcher from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida prepares pepper seeds for planting inside science carriers on April 8, 2021, inside the Space Life Sciences Lab for the Plant Habitat-04 (PH-04) experiment. The seeds will fly to the International Space Station on SpaceX’s 22nd Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-22) mission. When the experiment starts, astronauts will grow the pepper seeds in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) growth chamber, which will monitor the experiment with more than 180 sensors. The astronauts will observe plant growth for about four months and conduct two harvests to study whether microgravity affects growth, flavor, or texture. Since peppers take longer to germinate, grow, and develop than previous crops grown in space, the PH-04 experiment also will test the durability and reliability of the various systems within the APH.

Inside the Space Life Sciences Lab at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, researchers plant pepper seeds in a science carrier on April 8, 2021, in preparation for the Plant Habitat-04 (PH-04) experiment. The seeds will fly to the International Space Station on SpaceX’s 22nd Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-22) mission. When the experiment starts, astronauts will grow the pepper seeds in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) growth chamber, which will monitor the experiment with more than 180 sensors. The astronauts will observe plant growth for about four months and conduct two harvests to study whether microgravity affects growth, flavor, or texture. Since peppers take longer to germinate, grow, and develop than previous crops grown in space, the PH-04 experiment also will test the durability and reliability of the various systems within the APH.

Inside the Space Life Sciences Lab at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a researcher plants pepper seeds in science carriers on April 8, 2021, in preparation for the Plant Habitat-04 (PH-04) experiment. The seeds will fly to the International Space Station on SpaceX’s 22nd Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-22) mission. When the experiment starts, astronauts will grow the pepper seeds in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) growth chamber, which will monitor the experiment with more than 180 sensors. The astronauts will observe plant growth for about four months and conduct two harvests to study whether microgravity affects growth, flavor, or texture. Since peppers take longer to germinate, grow, and develop than previous crops grown in space, the PH-04 experiment also will test the durability and reliability of the various systems within the APH.

A researcher from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida prepares pepper seeds for planting inside science carriers on April 8, 2021, inside the Space Life Sciences Lab for the Plant Habitat-04 (PH-04) experiment. The seeds will fly to the International Space Station on SpaceX’s 22nd Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-22) mission. When the experiment starts, astronauts will grow the pepper seeds in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) growth chamber, which will monitor the experiment with more than 180 sensors. The astronauts will observe plant growth for about four months and conduct two harvests to study whether microgravity affects growth, flavor, or texture. Since peppers take longer to germinate, grow, and develop than previous crops grown in space, the PH-04 experiment also will test the durability and reliability of the various systems within the APH.

A researcher from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida prepares pepper seeds for planting inside science carriers on April 8, 2021, inside the Space Life Sciences Lab for the Plant Habitat-04 (PH-04) experiment. The seeds will fly to the International Space Station on SpaceX’s 22nd Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-22) mission. When the experiment starts, astronauts will grow the pepper seeds in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) growth chamber, which will monitor the experiment with more than 180 sensors. The astronauts will observe plant growth for about four months and conduct two harvests to study whether microgravity affects growth, flavor, or texture. Since peppers take longer to germinate, grow, and develop than previous crops grown in space, the PH-04 experiment also will test the durability and reliability of the various systems within the APH.

A close-up photo of a pepper seed prepared by researchers at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida is shown before it’s planted inside a science carrier on April 8, 2021, inside the Space Life Sciences Lab for the Plant Habitat-04 (PH-04) experiment. The seeds will fly to the International Space Station on SpaceX’s 22nd Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-22) mission. When the experiment starts, astronauts will grow the pepper seeds in the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) growth chamber, which will monitor the experiment with more than 180 sensors. The astronauts will observe plant growth for about four months and conduct two harvests to study whether microgravity affects growth, flavor, or texture. Since peppers take longer to germinate, grow, and develop than previous crops grown in space, the PH-04 experiment also will test the durability and reliability of the various systems within the APH.

These Vapor Diffusion Apparatus (VDA) trays were first flown in the Thermal Enclosure System (TES) during the USMP-2 (STS-62) mission. Each tray can hold 20 protein crystal growth chambers. Each chamber contains a double-barrel syringe; one barrel holds protein crystal solution and the other holds precipitant agent solution. During the microgravity mission, a torque device is used to simultaneously retract the plugs in all 20 syringes. The two solutions in each chamber are then mixed. After mixing, droplets of the combined solutions are moved onto the syringe tips so vapor diffusion can begin. During the length of the mission, protein crystals are grown in the droplets. Shortly before the Shuttle's return to Earth, the experiment is deactivated by retracting the droplets containing protein crystals, back into the syringes.

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. – 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

S65-18766 (March 1965) --- Diagram of experiment planned for the Gemini-Titan 3 mission scheduled on March 23, 1965, to find out if there are effects of weightlessness on individual living cells. The round canister (top) shows the experiment package. It will contain eight identical chambers, each with sections of sperm, eggs and fixative. Cells are eggs of the spiny, black sea animal, the sea urchin. Bottom panel shows the three stages of each chamber. From left in the first stage, sperm, eggs and fixative are separated. By turning the handle, astronauts will fertilize a certain portion of the eggs, which will begin to divide. At 20 minutes after launch, further turns of the handle will force fixative into two chambers and stop cell division. At 70 minutes after launch, cell division in four more chambers will be stopped, and just prior to re-entry, growth of the remaining two chambers will be terminated by a turn of the handle. This system will allow study after the flight of how cells divided after various time periods in weightlessness. Abnormalities would suggest weightlessness effects on living tissue and possible hazard to prolonged manned spaceflight.

iss005e06720 (7/4/2002) --- Front view of Express Rack 4 in the U.S. Laboratory / Destiny taken during Expedition Five. Visible in the rack are the following items: Single-Locker Thermal Enclosure System (STES) Muffler, Advanced Astroculture Growth Chamber (ADVASC-GC), Advanced Astroculture Support System (ADVASC-SS). And Space Acceleration and Measurement System (SAMS) II.

iss064e030517 (2/9/2021) --- A view of the Plant Water Management (PWM) investigation aboard the International space Station (ISS). Plant Water Management demonstrates a hydroponic method for ensuring adequate hydration and aeration to the root zone in order to sustain plants from germination through harvest. Low-gravity capillary fluidics deliver water in single and multiple plant production chambers, and researchers compare growth of individual plants in microgravity and normal gravity.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - - In the KSC Space Life Sciences Lab, Dr. Hyeon-Hye Kim places Arabidopsis plants in a plant growth chamber for testing under various light conditions. Other plant research includes different CO2 concentrations and temperatures. The Lab is exploring various aspects of a bioregenerative life support system. Such research and technology development will be crucial to long-term habitation of space by humans.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the KSC Space Life Sciences Lab, Dr. Hyeon-Hye Kim checks plants in a plant growth chamber for testing under various light conditions. Other plant research includes different CO2 concentrations and temperatures. The Lab is exploring various aspects of a bioregenerative life support system. Such research and technology development will be crucial to long-term habitation of space by humans.

jsc2019e041775 (5/10/2019) --- Preflight imagery of a Plant Water Management (PWM) Harness and Soil Test Article. Plant Water Management demonstrates a hydroponic method for ensuring adequate hydration and aeration to the root zone in order to sustain plants from germination through harvest. Low-gravity capillary fluidics deliver water in single and multiple plant production chambers, and researchers compare growth of individual plants in microgravity and normal gravity.

The M512 Materials Processing Facility (MPF) with the M518 Multipurpose Electric Facility (MEF) tested and demonstrated a facility approach for materials process experimentation in space. It also provided a basic apparatus and a common interface for a group of metallic and nonmetallic materials experiments. The MPF consisted of a vacuum work chamber and associated mechanical and electrical controls. The M518 Multipurpose Electric Furnace (MEF) was an electric furnace system in which solidification, crystal growth, and other experiments involving phase changes were performed.

Robyn Gatens, left, deputy director, ISS Division and system capability leader for Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) at NASA Headquarters in Washington, tours laboratories in the Space Station Processing Facility at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on June 13, 2018. To her right is Molly Anderson, deputy ECLSS capability lead at Johnson Space Center in Houston. They are viewing plant growth chambers and seeing firsthand some of the capabilities in the center's Exploration Research and Technology Programs.

jsc2019e041774 (5/10/2019) --- Preflight imagery of a Plant Water Management (PWM) Harness and Hydroponics Test Article. Plant Water Management demonstrates a hydroponic method for ensuring adequate hydration and aeration to the root zone in order to sustain plants from germination through harvest. Low-gravity capillary fluidics deliver water in single and multiple plant production chambers, and researchers compare growth of individual plants in microgravity and normal gravity.

Dr. Oscar Monje, a research scientist, packs a growing substrate called arcillite in the science carrier, or base, of the Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) inside a laboratory at the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Developed by NASA and ORBITEC of Madison, Wisconsin, the APH is the largest plant chamber built for the agency. It is a fully automated plant growth facility that will be used to conduct bioscience research on the International Space Station. The APH will be delivered to the space station aboard future Commercial Resupply Services missions.