Chinese astronauts harvest tomatoes, lettuce in space

Chinese astronauts on the Shenzhou 16 mission have successfully grown vegetables in the Tiangong space station. The cultivation of lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and green onions is part of China’s ambitious space program, which includes plans for deep space exploration. Researchers at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center are using replicas on Earth to compare results and analyze plant growth in space. The vegetable cultivation apparatus is an important component of the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS).