House company NASA took to YouTube on Friday to share fascinating footage of what two tiny tomatoes seemed like after they have been misplaced in area in 2022. Notably, Astronaut Frank Rubio Rubio had by accident misplaced the fruits whereas harvesting for the eXposed Root On-Orbit Take a look at System (XROOTS) experiment, a soil-less plant experiment. Different astronauts had joked that perhaps Mr Rubio had eaten the tomatoes. Nonetheless, the two space-grown fruits which had been lacking for eight months have been not too long ago discovered by the ISS crew, bringing an finish to the light-hearted thriller. 

The area company revealed that the tomatoes have been ”dehydrated and barely squashed with some discolouration however with none seen microbial or fungal progress.”

”Two rogue tomatoes have been recovered almost a 12 months after astronaut Frank Rubio by accident misplaced observe of them whereas harvesting for the XROOTS experiment, proving Rubio didn’t eat the tomatoes as they beforehand suspected. The rogue fruit was present in a plastic bag dehydrated and barely squished with some discoloration however with no seen microbial or fungal progress,” the video was captioned. 

”XROOTS makes use of hydroponic and aeroponic methods to develop crops with out soil or different progress media. Present plant programs could not scale nicely in an area atmosphere attributable to mass, upkeep, and sanitation points. XROOT’s soil-less methods might present appropriate options for plant programs wanted for future area exploration missions,” NASA added. 

Watch the video right here:

In accordance with NASA, the tomatoes have been grown with out soil utilizing hydroponic and aeroponic nourishing methods to exhibit area agricultural strategies to maintain crews on long-term area flights farther away from Earth, the place resupply missions turn out to be inconceivable.

”The advantages of rising crops in area do not cease there, astronauts report there are psychological advantages to time spent gardening, rising their high quality of life in area, and boosting their morale. Analysis aboard the area station is advancing the expertise and scientific data wanted to efficiently develop crops in area and assist people push the boundaries of area journey,” NASA stated in a weblog put up.