Lettuce Could Protect Astronauts’ Bones on Mars Trip

Andy Fell — March 22, 2022 - 8:30am

Astronauts might one day grow and eat genetically modified plants to ward off disease associated with long spaceflights. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, College of Engineering have developed a transgenic, or genetically modified, lettuce producing a drug to protect against bone density loss in microgravity. The work will be presented March 22 at the spring meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Diego.

New Institute Eyes HOME in Deep Space

Andy Fell — April 30, 2019 - 1:34pm

In a significant step toward human-crewed space missions to the moon or Mars, NASA has awarded a grant of up to $15 million over five years to a new research institute led by the University of California, Davis. The HOME (Habitats Optimized for Missions of Exploration) Space Technology Research Institute will develop enabling technology for spacecraft and deep-space bases of the future.

Astronauts Content

Lettuce Could Protect Astronauts’ Bones on Mars Trip

New Institute Eyes HOME in Deep Space