From the Liveblog of
Saturday, February 19, 2022
Space hummus: Chickpeas launch into space for Israeli-led experiment on growing food
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleExactly 28 chickpeas have been launched to the International Space Station, as part of an Israeli-led experiment into the viability of growing the legume in space.
The chickpeas will be used to study germination in zero gravity. They were launched to the ISS from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, alongside eight tons of cargo aboard an unmanned Cygnus spacecraft.
The experiment is being directed by Israeli Yonatan Weintraub of Stanford University, alongside other Israeli researchers.
And it’s off! ???? a successful launch at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility! What an awesome experience! pic.twitter.com/wzlYRwwjPM
— Deana Harley (@Deanaharleynews) February 19, 2022
To inspire the next generation of space enthusiasts, Winetraub has enlisted a cohort of young scientists on earth to help him with his experiment.
Middle and high school students in 1,000 classrooms across Israel will grow chickpeas in boxes they have constructed. This key control group will compare the processes of growing chickpeas with gravity versus those grown in space without it.
The Times of Israel Community.