The space industry has started to think about how they will feed future interplanetary residents, and the current idea is to grow asparagus. Astro-ecologist, Michael Mautner of Virginia Commonwealth University has been researching which plants could be adapted to such an environment, the results depend on the types of meteorites.
''Carbon asteroids contain complex organic carbon, nutritional elements and extractable mineral water,'' explains Professor Mautner, ''Algae, asparagus and potatoes have grown well in these soils and in those of Martian meteorites''.
''Carbon asteroids contain complex organic carbon, nutritional elements and extractable mineral water,'' explains Professor Mautner, ''Algae, asparagus and potatoes have grown well in these soils and in those of Martian meteorites''.
However, in space the plants would be grown in an anaerobic outer-space environment with no oxygen, and the question of gravity will be important too.