Plant scientist harvests success in an Antarctic greenhouse

Bunchek spent the last year living and working with fellow researchers at the remote German Neumayer III Station, operated by the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI). There, she grew fresh fruits and vegetables in the German Aerospace Center's (DLR) EDEN ISS greenhouse. Ten polar explorers spent the winter isolated there - a process they call overwintering - and the experience serves as an analog to conditions astronauts will face during long-duration space travel, such as a mission to Mars.

Bunchek's research will help inform NASA's efforts to feed astronauts in space as part of the agency's interest in human health, life support, and habitations systems. Her work also furthered DLR's goal of validating the greenhouse for advancing agriculture technologies in controlled environments.

"Extreme cold, raging storms, and polar night make the Antarctic one of the most fascinating habitats on our planet, and these qualities also make it an ideal test site for growing vegetables under space-like conditions," said Dr. Tim Heitland, former Neumayer station leader and medical coordinator at Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research.

The greenhouse is a standalone structure located about a quarter mile (400 meters) south of the Neumayer station. Bunchek and her crewmates had to learn to be flexible and work around storms, frigid temperatures, and unanticipated technical issues.

Click here to read more.

Source: SpaceRef