The missing tomato had been a topic of discussion since September 13, during an event commemorating astronaut Frank Rubio’s one-year stay in orbit. Rubio had been jokingly blamed for eating the tomato, but the discovery of the tomato exonerated him. The Veg-05 project aims to understand how lighting and fertilizer variations influence fruit growth, safety, and nutritional value in space.
Key takeaways:
- A Red Robin dwarf tomato, part of NASA’s Veg-05 experiment for growing fruits and vegetables in space, went missing in March after being harvested and was found in December.
- The Veg-05 project is exploring how lighting and fertilizer variations influence fruit growth, safety, and nutritional value in space, and how fresh produce can positively impact the crew’s mental health.
- After the tomato harvest, each astronaut received a tomato sample stored in a Ziploc bag, but they were instructed not to consume the fruit due to concerns about potential fungal contamination.
- The missing tomato was initially thought to have been eaten by astronaut Frank Rubio, but it was later found, proving that even in space, objects can play a surprising game of hide and seek.