Lashelle Spencer (center), a plant scientist with the Laboratory Support Services and Operations contract at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, harvests peppers from a pepper plant on Jan. 15, 2020, that was grown in the Space Station Processing Facility in preparation for sending them to space. As NASA prepares to send humans beyond low-Earth orbit, the ability for astronauts to grow a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables in space will be critical. Fresh produce will be an essential supplement to the crew’s pre-packaged diet during long-duration space exploration when they are away from Earth for extended periods of time.