First tomato grown in space rediscovered by ISS crew after months of intrigue
In a twist of cosmic proportions, NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have finally located the elusive first tomato ever grown in space, ending a months-long mystery that left the orbiter abuzz with intrigue.
Astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, one of seven aboard the ISS, shared the breakthrough discovery on the 25th anniversary of the station. She revealed, “Well, we might have found something that someone had been looking for for quite a while.”
The tomato, a celestial achievement grown by American astronaut Frank Rubio, had become a symbol of triumph in space agriculture. Rubio, who holds the record for the longest spaceflight at 370 days, planted the seed of this red robin tomato in March as part of an experiment aimed at cultivating produce in space, crucial for future extended missions.
In a NASA interview, Rubio recounted the fateful moment when the tomato went missing: “I harvested, I think, what was the first tomato in space, and I put it in a little bag.” Unfortunately, he misplaced the bag after proudly displaying his accomplishment to students.
Despite an intensive 20-hour search by Rubio, the tomato remained elusive, prompting speculations and even conspiracies, including the theory that Rubio had consumed the space-grown fruit himself, which he vehemently denied.
Jokingly addressing the rumors in October, Rubio quipped, “Hopefully somebody will find it someday, some little shriveled thing in a Ziploc bag, and they can prove the fact that I did not eat the tomato in space.”
The tomato’s mysterious disappearance spurred various theories, with doubts lingering about its fate in the weightless environment. However, Moghbeli announced the resolution, stating, “Our good friend, Frank Rubio, who headed home, has been blamed for quite a while for eating the tomato, but we can exonerate him.”
While the specifics of where and how the tomato was found remain undisclosed, the space-grown fruit is now safely back in the custody of NASA, closing the chapter on this celestial caper.
