Israeli agro-tech manufacturer GreenOnyx has achieved a significant milestone in space exploration and agriculture technology. Its flagship product, Wanna Greens®, is the first duckweed plant sent to space.
Key Takeaways
- Space Mission Launch: Wanna Greens®, a product of GreenOnyx, was launched to the International Space Station on November 9, 2023, aboard SpaceX as part of the Commercial Resupply Service (CRS)-29 mission. This marks the first time duckweed has been included in a space mission.
- High Nutritional Value: Wanna Greens® is known for its exceptional nutritional profile, surpassing traditional greens. It contains more iron than spinach, zinc than kale, and potassium than any other green vegetable, offering significant health benefits.
- Space Research and Sustainability: The primary goal of sending Wanna Greens® to space is to study its rapid growth, nutrient-rich nature, and potential as a sustainable food source for astronauts on long-duration space missions. This research could revolutionize fresh food supply chains in space travel.
- Eco-Friendly Production: Grown on an indoor farm, Wanna Greens® is an eco-friendly and autonomous sterile product, free from pathogens, pesticides, antibiotics, or harmful chemicals. This aligns with GreenOnyx’s commitment to healthy nutritional consumption and environmental consciousness.
- Long Shelf Life and Accessibility: The product offers a stable shelf life of up to six weeks and is “ready to use,” designed to be a convenient addition to any meal, with a unique taste and texture.
GreenOnyx’s Wanna Greens® Makes History in Space
Israeli agro-tech manufacturer GreenOnyx announced a historic achievement today with its flagship product, Wanna Greens®, the world’s smallest and most nutrient-rich green vegetable, as it becomes the first duckweed plant to travel to space aboard a SpaceX rocket. This mission to the International Space Station, launched on November 9, 2023, represents a significant milestone in space exploration and agricultural technology.
Wanna Greens® and a duckweed miniature cultivation module developed by GreenOnyx have passed NASA’s rigorous testing, earning their place in the Commercial Resupply Service (CRS)-29 mission. This initiative marks the first actual space mission involving duckweed, a plant previously studied by NASA for its potential use in space environments.
Dr. Tsipi Shoham, co-founder and CEO of GreenOnyx, emphasized the importance of this mission. “Our experiments aim to explore duckweed’s rapid growth, high nutrient content, and its potential as a sustainable fresh food source for astronauts on long-duration space missions,” she stated. The success of these studies could significantly impact fresh food supply chains in space exploration and sustainable agriculture practices on Earth.
Wanna Greens® stands out for its exceptional nutritional profile, containing more iron than spinach, more zinc than kale, and more potassium than any other green vegetable. These nutrients are integral for cellular strength, illness prevention, and overall longevity.
Grown on an eco-friendly indoor farm, Wanna Greens® is unique as the first and only autonomous sterile product line in agriculture, free from pathogens, pesticides, antibiotics, or other harmful chemicals. This product is designed to directly bring the healthiest, natural, and wholesome fresh green vegetables to consumers’ plates.
With a stable shelf life of up to six weeks, Wanna Greens® are “ready to use” and can be easily added to any meal, offering a happy taste, a sprinkles-like texture, and a caviar-like appearance. This innovation aligns with GreenOnyx’s mission of promoting healthy nutritional consumption and environmental consciousness, contributing to securing the future of the world’s global food supply.
In the context of space exploration, NASA’s focus on providing astronauts with fresh nutrition underscores the importance of such missions. Fresh fruits and vegetables are critical for vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients essential for overall health, immune system support, bone health, and other physiological and mental functions. As space agencies plan for future long-duration missions, including those to Mars, sustaining astronauts’ health becomes increasingly vital.
Founded in 2013 by Dr. Tsipi Shoham and Benny Shoham in Tel Aviv, GreenOnyx is at the forefront of revolutionizing fresh food production, distribution, and consumption.
