It’s one of the universe’s greatest mysteries: the disappearance of the first tomato grown in space.
That is, until seven astronauts spend time on the International Space Station this week. announced It’s been 25 years since Orbiter discovered Rogue Fruit.
“Well, someone may have found what they’ve been looking for for a long time,” revealed NASA astronaut Jasmine Moghbeli.
Tomatoes were the first to be harvested and grown in space. It was cultivated by American astronaut Frank Rubio in March. keeps records Space flight lasting up to 370 days.
Red Robin tomatoes were harvested as part of a NASA experiment. grow agricultural products in space for future long-term missions. Rubio said it was a proud moment, until the day he lost sight of the cosmic commodity: fresh, meaty food.
NASA
“We harvested the first tomato in space and put it in a little bag,” Rubio recalled in an interview with NASA. During October. He said he took the tomatoes out of a secure Ziploc bag to show some students his prized produce, but then he seemed to have misplaced them.
“I was pretty confident that I had Velcroed it where it was supposed to be, but when I came back it was gone,” the scientist said.
Rubio said he spent about 18 to 20 hours unsuccessfully searching for the tomato, which he said was “so dry that you couldn’t tell what it was” and that he suspected it had been accidentally thrown in the trash. Ta.
Because space is weightless, unfixed or unrestrained objects can float away. And on the ISS, which is larger than the universe, 6 bedroom housethere should be many good hiding places for Lone Ranger tomatoes.
NASA
In the months after the succulent produce disappeared, some wondered if Mr. Rubio had actually eaten the tomatoes, but Mr. Rubio denied the claims until they were discovered.
“I hope someday someone finds it, a little shriveled thing in a Ziploc. It will prove the fact that I didn’t eat tomatoes in space.” He said it half jokingly and half seriously.
And Moghbeli was certainly quick to clear Rubio’s name after announcing his findings.
“Our good friend back home, Frank Rubio, has been accused of eating tomatoes for quite some time, and we can exonerate him,” she said.
Moghbeli did not provide details about where the tomatoes were found or what condition they were in. However, it is safe to assume that it will not be featured in gourmet cuisine any time soon.
