Mexican scientist presents project to grow plants in space for NASA

Ernesto Olvera

, a researcher from the National Institute of Technology of Mexico (TecNM) is the first Mexican to present a project before NASA to increase the nutritional value of plants with artificial light and thus feed astronauts for long periods in space.

Born in the state of Querétaro, Olvera presented his project on lettuce and spinach growth before the prestigious U.S. administration.

The presentation took place at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, before the Plant Production in Space Research Group led by Gioia Massa .

At the meeting with NASA scientists, the Mexican investigator explained how his studies had progressed in two years at the Artificial Lighting Lab (LIA) of TecNM.

Olvera, who made a six-month academic stay in the farms of the Prairie View A&M University, in Texas , on a scholarship from Mexico’s National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) , told that he had received some very positive comments during the presentation of the project on the part of NASA scientists, who expressed their satisfaction with the participation of Mexican scientists in such lines of research.

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