The first space-grown tomatoes are expected to be harvested between early and mid-2025, according to Dr. Martha L. Orozco-Cardenas, director of the Plant Transformation Research Center at the University of California, Riverside. “We’re currently finalizing our experiment development plan with NASA,” she said, adding that the goal is to launch the tomatoes during the Advanced Plant Habitat Mission 08 (APH08).
Following Romaine lettuce, tomatoes will be the second vegetable grown in space. Romaine was cultivated on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2015 as part of NASA’s Veggie experiment.
Benefits of Growing Tomatoes in Space
For over five years, researchers at UCR have been developing a tomato variety suitable for space. Orozco-Cardenas emphasized the value of tomatoes, stating, “They are rich in essential nutrients, making them an excellent choice for maintaining a healthy diet.” Additionally, tomatoes can enhance mood and reduce stress, providing comfort in the isolated environment of space.
Tomatoes also serve as an important model organism for scientific research due to their well-characterized genome. This makes them ideal for studying gene expression under different gravitational conditions. “They are amenable to gene-editing techniques such as CRISPR-Cas9,” Orozco-Cardenas noted, highlighting their role in crop improvement and plant biology research.
Traits of Space Tomatoes
Space-adapted tomato plants are shorter than their wild-type counterparts but produce the same fruit yield with less variability in size. This means reduced vegetative growth and a greater focus on consistently producing edible fruit. Orozco-Cardenas explained that these traits are crucial for maximizing growth space, especially as arable land decreases and climate change impacts agriculture.
Vining tomato varieties face challenges in indoor vertical farming due to their growth habits and space requirements. As a result, the industry is shifting towards developing smaller plants that yield more fruit while occupying less space. The time from planting to harvest is similar to regular tomatoes, but researchers have noted a faster flowering time for space tomatoes.
Growing Mushrooms in Space
In addition to tomatoes, the UCR team is also developing a system for growing edible mushrooms in space. This summer, under the leadership of Associate Professor Robert Jinkerson, the team won $250,000 as a runner-up in NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge, an international competition aimed at creating food production systems for the ISS. The proposed technology is limited to two cubic meters and requires no more than 1,500 watts of electricity, with an estimated output of about 4,000 calories per day.
These advancements in growing food in space are essential for future long-duration missions, such as those to Mars, where sustainable food sources will be critical for astronaut health and well-being.