In my off-duty time on Expedition 72 to the ISS, I grew potatoes in an amateur microgravity experiment. As noted in “The Martian” they are excellent nutrition sources and will likely be useful in future deep space horticulture. Absent gravity, the roots (fuzzy tendrils near opening) would grow haphazardly to find soil or water, and were bagged for containment, the closest thing we had for pots. Maybe one day potatoes will grow on Mars! Until then, we learn what we can in Earth orbit.
More space photos and plant research can be found on my [twitter](https://x.com/astro_Pettit) and Instagram, astro_pettit
in_n_out_on_camrose on
Well that’s just rad… grow some leeks too and you’ve got the makings for a tasty space soup
Ninevehenian on
I wonder how complex life will get when adapting to off world conditions. If it can actually react “ecosystem” situations or if it will have to be small islands of life.
coukou76 on
Can’t wait the first batch of french fries
GoldfishFire on
Astronauts posting on Reddit? So here for this!
Keep doing what you’re doing, this is awesome!
Lancaster1983 on
Don Pettit… Botanist. Possibly future space pirate?
LonsViper on
So badass! Thank you, for sharing this :)!
Reeposter on
Thank you for sharing all of those photos from ISS, always a pleasure to see those on Reddit!
TheGrandExquisitor on
Did you use your own poop? Because, apparently that’s a part of growing space potatoes. Saw it in a documentary about the time Matt Damon was an astronaut for NASA.
Buckwheat469 on
I saw a picture of the space station getting a delivery of fruits and vegetables and they looked very happy. I wondered, is there not extensive research going into horticulture on the ISS, especially for deep space missions into the future? Growing potatoes is one thing, but what about tomatoes, berries, kale, spinach, lettuce, etc? What about a rotating chamber to simulate gravity?
decimus_87 on
Well, folks. The day has come. There is a Redditor who is an actual astronaut.
Alysma on
I hope you honor its efforts and plant it once you’re back on earth! 😀
40907 on
imagine potato becoming the dominant interstellar species because we introduced it to other planets. Mankind perishes, potato evolves.
Butttouche on
Hey, the roots are all over the place obviously due to no gravity. However, im curious how fast they would have to spin in order to correct their growth. Roots sense gravity by sedimentation with amyloplasts in their caps.
Thanks for sharing!
boardroomseries on
I love the science you guys do testing the future of agriculture and food in space! I’m a chef down here, and seeing you guys work on things that I can understand the context of (slightly) is thrilling and makes me think of what we may be able to do together in a few generations.
Did you happen to be part of the miso fermentation experiment a little while back on the ISS? I thought the increased pace could have been to a number of uncontrolled factors, but the possible explanations that were more radiation and exposure based were fun to think about!
Capn_Chryssalid on
Little guy is all “where’s the dirt? Which way is down? It isnt supposed to be this hard, man.”
oldgrizzley on
I loved your presentation at NEAF, BTW!
oxfordcommaordeath on
Dude, it’s growing better than my land potatoes 😂😂
Thank you for sharing! I have been dying for an update. It looks like it is making good progress.
GISP on
I think your space potato is confused 🙁
dsurka on
Is there another phase for the experiment where they are grown in a centrifuge?
Usually in scifi, the centrifugal habitats need to be very large for humans, but for a potato farm; how small could it be?
Snowbank_Lake on
Go go Space Potato! 🚀🥔
Thank you for sharing this charming part of space science with us!
i_have_covid_19_shit on
So fucking interesting.
What happens with a potato that you take outside? Humans would boil and expand without spacesuit, right? Could you take it out or throw it into the void?
Please don’t tell me you guys are doomscrolling on the ISS! 🤣
ScoobyD00BIEdoo on
Please try succulents. Im sorry curiously as to how they’d do
Ludwig_Vista2 on
It looks… Confused.
Also, I think that’s the first time a human has constructed that sentence.
Fly safe!
SapientApe_ on
You should name it astro_potate
FootjobBlowjobCombo on
This is so sick looking forward to potato bricks
CogInTheMachinee on
Throw it in one direction somewhere and let it populate a planet of potatoes
Belfastscum on
Dang! What do you weigh in microgravity??
AnarchyFarm on
That’s the first time I’ve ever seen a potato form air roots. 😄 Thanks for sharing!
32 Comments
In my off-duty time on Expedition 72 to the ISS, I grew potatoes in an amateur microgravity experiment. As noted in “The Martian” they are excellent nutrition sources and will likely be useful in future deep space horticulture. Absent gravity, the roots (fuzzy tendrils near opening) would grow haphazardly to find soil or water, and were bagged for containment, the closest thing we had for pots. Maybe one day potatoes will grow on Mars! Until then, we learn what we can in Earth orbit.
More space photos and plant research can be found on my [twitter](https://x.com/astro_Pettit) and Instagram, astro_pettit
Well that’s just rad… grow some leeks too and you’ve got the makings for a tasty space soup
I wonder how complex life will get when adapting to off world conditions. If it can actually react “ecosystem” situations or if it will have to be small islands of life.
Can’t wait the first batch of french fries
Astronauts posting on Reddit? So here for this!
Keep doing what you’re doing, this is awesome!
Don Pettit… Botanist. Possibly future space pirate?
So badass! Thank you, for sharing this :)!
Thank you for sharing all of those photos from ISS, always a pleasure to see those on Reddit!
Did you use your own poop? Because, apparently that’s a part of growing space potatoes. Saw it in a documentary about the time Matt Damon was an astronaut for NASA.
I saw a picture of the space station getting a delivery of fruits and vegetables and they looked very happy. I wondered, is there not extensive research going into horticulture on the ISS, especially for deep space missions into the future? Growing potatoes is one thing, but what about tomatoes, berries, kale, spinach, lettuce, etc? What about a rotating chamber to simulate gravity?
Well, folks. The day has come. There is a Redditor who is an actual astronaut.
I hope you honor its efforts and plant it once you’re back on earth! 😀
imagine potato becoming the dominant interstellar species because we introduced it to other planets. Mankind perishes, potato evolves.
Hey, the roots are all over the place obviously due to no gravity. However, im curious how fast they would have to spin in order to correct their growth. Roots sense gravity by sedimentation with amyloplasts in their caps.
Thanks for sharing!
I love the science you guys do testing the future of agriculture and food in space! I’m a chef down here, and seeing you guys work on things that I can understand the context of (slightly) is thrilling and makes me think of what we may be able to do together in a few generations.
Did you happen to be part of the miso fermentation experiment a little while back on the ISS? I thought the increased pace could have been to a number of uncontrolled factors, but the possible explanations that were more radiation and exposure based were fun to think about!
Little guy is all “where’s the dirt? Which way is down? It isnt supposed to be this hard, man.”
I loved your presentation at NEAF, BTW!
Dude, it’s growing better than my land potatoes 😂😂
[https://www.reddit.com/r/potato/comments/19fg897/wheres_the_fucking_soil/](https://www.reddit.com/r/potato/comments/19fg897/wheres_the_fucking_soil/)
Love your posts! thanks you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing! I have been dying for an update. It looks like it is making good progress.
I think your space potato is confused 🙁
Is there another phase for the experiment where they are grown in a centrifuge?
Usually in scifi, the centrifugal habitats need to be very large for humans, but for a potato farm; how small could it be?
Go go Space Potato! 🚀🥔
Thank you for sharing this charming part of space science with us!
So fucking interesting.
What happens with a potato that you take outside? Humans would boil and expand without spacesuit, right? Could you take it out or throw it into the void?
Please don’t tell me you guys are doomscrolling on the ISS! 🤣
Please try succulents. Im sorry curiously as to how they’d do
It looks… Confused.
Also, I think that’s the first time a human has constructed that sentence.
Fly safe!
You should name it astro_potate
This is so sick looking forward to potato bricks
Throw it in one direction somewhere and let it populate a planet of potatoes
Dang! What do you weigh in microgravity??
That’s the first time I’ve ever seen a potato form air roots. 😄 Thanks for sharing!