The first micro-vegetable garden created in Italy in orbit

Named GREENCube, it is made in Italy and has arrived in space thanks to the first launch of ESA’s new Vega C rocket. His departure took place in French Guiana on 13 July. We are talking about the first garden in orbit around the earth. A project of an all-Italian group, born of a strong collaboration between Enea, the University of Naples and the Sapienza University of Rome.

The garden is capable of a whole growth cycle of microgreens. There are those that are best suited to withstand extreme conditions. Watercress is ideal. The test results are useful to see which plants are in fact resistant to extreme stress. A feature that will make them a fresh and highly nutritious food in future space missions.

The micro garden is located in a pressed and enclosed environment, has specific lighting. In addition, it also has temperature and humidity monitoring, even hi-tech sensors for remote control of environmental characteristics. A monitoring also of the health status and growth of plant with the relative transfer of all data to the ground.

Space research focuses on the development of life support systems in space. Plants play a key role as a source of fresh food supplementing prepackaged food rations and ensuring a balanced nutritional intake, essential for human survival in harsh environmental conditions. Plant organisms are able to regenerate valuable resources such as air, water and mineral nutrients. But also not to be underestimated is the psychological benefit to the crew that comes from growing and consuming fresh vegetables to cope with the psychological stress to which astronauts are exposed.

Luca Nardi, Enea Biotechnological Laboratory