Potatoes were the first vegetable ever grown in space.

The historic experiment took place in October 1995 during the STS-73 mission of the Space Shuttle Columbia. NASA partnered with the University of Wisconsin-Madison to test the Astroculture plant growth facility. They utilized five small potato tubers to see if they could survive and grow in a microgravity environment.The researchers chose the Norland potato variety for its resilience and nutritional density. This experiment was critical because potatoes are rich in carbohydrates and can be prepared in various ways. Successfully growing them showed that life support systems could eventually include bioregenerative components to provide fresh food for crews.The technology used was a precursor to the Advanced Plant Habitat currently on the International Space Station. Scientists monitored the plants for 16 days to ensure they developed properly without the influence of Earth's gravity. This success paved the way for growing other crops like lettuce, radishes, and chilies in orbit.Future Mars missions will rely heavily on these findings to reduce the weight of stored food supplies. By producing calories on-site, space agencies can extend the duration of human exploration significantly. This 1995 milestone remains a cornerstone of space botany and long-duration spaceflight planning.