Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have reported finding a “missing” tomato that disappeared over 8 months ago.
The Red Robin tomato, measuring about 2.5 cm, was harvested during the final yield of the Veg-05 experiment. This experiment was conducted to study the effects of spaceflight on the growth of fruit-bearing plants.
After the harvest on March 29, each astronaut received a tomato in a plastic bag and was asked to evaluate its flavor, texture, and juiciness, based on different lighting conditions.
Astronaut Frank Rubio. (Photo: ISS).
However, American astronaut Frank Rubio, who participated in the Veg-05 experiment, reported that his tomato went missing before he could eat it, leading other astronauts to be somewhat “suspicious.”
During a live event last week celebrating the 25th anniversary of the ISS, NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli stated: “Our good friend – Frank Rubio, who is currently on Earth – was blamed for the disappearance of the tomato. But he has been exonerated. We found that tomato.”
Jasmin Moghbeli did not disclose where this tiny tomato was located on the massive space station or in what condition it was found.
The “mystery” of the tomato, which has become an intriguing anecdote among ISS crew members, was initially revealed by Rubio in September during an event he hosted in space. This event marked one year in orbit for the American astronaut.
At that time, Rubio stated: “I spent many hours searching for that tomato, about 18 to 20 hours, but couldn’t find it. I’m sure the shriveled tomato will show up at some point and vindicate me for many years to come.”
