How do you grow veggies on Mars? NASA explains complex Mars mission

Mars is seen in this image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Where should humans set up camp on Mars? How will they get there? What will they eat for breakfast?

With a three-year mission to the Red Planet scheduled for the 2030s, NASA took some time on Thursday to break down the intricacies of the ambitious plan and answer some basic questions about human survival on Mars.

Using the hashtag #NASAMarsDay, the U.S. space agency highlighted ways they’re preparing to send astronauts to the desolate planet where the atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide and the average temperature hovers around -62 C.

Food

There’s a scene in the 2015 film ‘The Martian’ in which a marooned astronaut (played by Matt Damon) discovers a particularly smelly way to grow potatoes – by using his own nutrient-rich poop rather than soil.

NASA’s plan is a bit more refined.

The so-called “Veggie experiment” on the International Space Station uses LED lights to grow red romaine lettuce and zinnia flowers in microgravity. The project, which began in May 2014, has had several bumps along the way, including several dead plants, mouldy leaves and an overall lack of water.

U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly led the experiment and, through trial and error, found ways to perfect the plants’ growth cycle. The zinnia flowers – which are considered a test for tomatoes – later blossomed and sprouted petals.

NASA says the lessons learned from the “Veggie experiment” will be applied to help astronauts on Mars farm and eat fresh vegetables.

The space agency has also explored the kinds of foods that are best suited for the long flight to Mars in a series of tests called the Energy Investigation.

Physical and mental health

There is plenty of data showing how the human body reacts in outer space over the course of a six-month period. But beyond six months, NASA says, the data is slim – which leaves serious questions about important factors such as bone health and vision.

To collect that information, NASA once again looked to former astronaut Scott Kelly, who spent a year in space before landing back on Earth in March, 2016. NASA said it will take a close look at how Kelly’s body reacted to conditions to help identify and mitigate any potential problems for the Mars astronauts.

Mental health is also a major consideration, since astronauts may feel isolated from family and friends during the long mission. NASA says its researchers have evaluated more than 1,100 pages of personal journals penned by astronauts at the International Space Station to uncover the unique psychological stressors experienced in outer space.

Setting up camp

Mars is a planet without cities, regions or borders. So NASA used an orbiter circling the planet to scout a good place to establish humankind’s first space colony.

Launched in 2005, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has helped NASA scan the Mars’ surface to create a picture of the planet’s terrain. This data will be combined with information gathered by the Mars 2020 Rover, which will look for resources, landing locations and other characteristics that could affect astronauts’ daily life on Mars.

What will the actual living quarters look like? NASA hasn’t quite decided, but they’ve asked six different U.S. companies to put together prototypes for the astronauts’ lodgings.

The companies, which were chosen earlier in August, have two years to develop the prototypes. NASA says the winning design must accommodate facilities for scientific testing, while providing astronauts the ability to comfortably live and conduct research for years at a time.

Getting there

The journey to Mars will be the most challenging space mission ever executed. So naturally, NASA is in the process of building the most powerful rocket in history.

The Space Launch System (SLS) will propel astronauts through space in the Orion spacecraft, which will sit atop the rocket. The SLS will be able to carry 154,000 lbs, which is equivalent to 12 fully grown elephants, and will be taller than the Statue of Liberty.

Astronauts will make the journey into deep space inside the Orion spacecraft, which will be outfitted with emergency abort capabilities and will serve as the astronauts’ temporary home during the long journey to Mars.