On the ISS began to grow asters, zinnias – RIA Novosti

© NASA

MOSCOW, December 24 – RIA Novosti . ISS crew spoke about pleasant experiences on the ISS – on board the space station hatch and began to grow ornamental indoor plants – asters, zinnias, observing the color that will help scientists understand how weightlessness affects the propagation of plants, according to NASA.

Experiment growing vegetables and plants in space is carried out on board the ISS for about a year. First shoots of cabbage were successfully grown and frozen at the plant last year, after which they were sent back to Earth in October 2014. After researchers made sure that the “space” cabbage is safe for the human body, NASA has approved another experiment, in which the inhabitants of the ISS for the first time ate grown in space, harvest August 10, 2015.

Set Veggie is a set of special capsules with seeds of cabbage and other crops, the soil and the special blue, green and red LED lamps that stimulate the growth of plants in weightlessness and the absence of visible light.

© Photo: NASA

Such systems are believed its creators from the company Orbital Technologies and experts from the Center for Space Flight NASA Goddard, can serve as a source of food and oxygen, as well as an important tool for psychological relief for future missions to the Moon, Mars and other distant planets.

At this time in Veggie were grown not edible, and decorative plants – asters, zinnias. ISS crew, as expected, will not eat them, and watch how the flowers will blossom asters, and try to test whether they are to pollinate in space and whether they can give birth in microgravity.