Microgreens Root Zone/Shoot Zone Partitioned Planting Box

The Microgreens Root Zone/Shoot Zone Partitioned Planting Box aims to enable efficient microgreens harvests in space, thereby improving food supply and safety on crewed missions. This technology is designed to close off the plants’ roots from their shoots to distinguish between water loss from the two parts of the plant, enabling testing of an entire crop canopy to ensure its safety instead of just one plant. Parabolic flights will allow researchers to evaluate different harvesting approaches for precision and also examine potential for contamination.

Microgreens are a nutrient-dense crop that has been targeted to serve as an easily grown dietary supplement for spaceflight applications. The Microgreens Root Zone/Shoot Zone Partitioned Planting Box aims to enable efficient microgreens harvests in space, thereby improving food supply and safety on crewed missions. This technology is designed to close off the plants’ roots from their shoots to distinguish between water loss from the two parts of the plant, enabling testing of an entire crop canopy to ensure it is safe to eat instead of just one plant. Growing nutritious food in space could also reduce launch and spacecraft resource constraints. This has the potential to benefit NASA missions, the commercial space industry, other government agencies, and the nation.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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