Creating autonomous food supply for space travel helps crop yields on Earth

Experiments for future space travel resulted in a fertilization plan for growers on Earth that maximizes growth and crop yield. For this purpose, space agencies are simulating and testing greenhouses that could be assembled inside a lunar or Martian habitat to provide the crew with a local source of fresh food. The best European example is MELISSA (ESA’s Micro Ecological Life Support System Alternative) that mimics a closed life support system where organic waste and carbon dioxin are converted into oxygen, water and food. MELISSA technology helps develop space greenhouses where astronauts will be told the right amount of fertilizer to apply at every stage in a plant growth.