The U.S. space agency has announced that they have successfully grown plants in space, and astronauts have used the first harvested peppers as taco filling.
Recently, NASA successfully grew and harvested green peppers on the International Space Station (ISS).
The first green peppers harvested on the International Space Station (ISS).
Since July 2021, astronauts on the ISS have been growing peppers from the “Improved Española” variety, known for its delicious taste and cultivated in the famous Hatch Valley of New Mexico.
This variety is a hybrid between the renowned “chile sandia” found in New Mexico and “chile landrace”, commonly found in the northern part of the state.
NASA stated that the peppers grown on the ISS are part of the Plant Habitat-04 investigation. “The investigation involves analyzing bacteria to enhance our understanding of plant-bacterial interactions in space, as well as the flavor, texture, and nutritional value of peppers grown off-Earth,” NASA explained.
Growing peppers in space is considered “one of the most challenging plant experiments to date.” According to NASA, peppers are much more difficult to grow than many other plants in space because they take a longer time to germinate, grow, and develop.
NASA astronaut Megan McArthur used the first peppers grown in space to make tacos, a traditional Mexican dish.
Typically, the “Improved Española” peppers are consumed in both their green and red stages.
Astronaut making tacos from successfully grown peppers on the International Space Station.
Astronaut Megan McArthur, who has been living on the ISS since April, used available ingredients to make tacos, including green peppers, fajita beef, tomatoes, and artichokes.
McArthur stated: “After harvesting, we tasted the green and red peppers and completed the survey evaluation forms. I made my best tacos ever in space.”
In addition to peppers, NASA has also grown cabbage, lettuce, kale, and a type of flower from the daisy family on the ISS. Since 2019, NASA announced that the Española pepper would be the first fruit grown on the ISS. This is a forward-looking project aimed at identifying crops that could be cultivated on Mars.
Initially, NASA considered growing Hatch peppers on the ISS. However, unlike Hatch peppers, which grow in the desert, the Española peppers typically grow at higher elevations and have a shorter growing period. Therefore, they are more suitable for cultivation and harvesting in space.
