Introduction:
Space framing or "Astroculture" is the act of cultivating crops without physically being on any planet. This is not to be confused with simple agriculture, as it doesn't require the micro-gravity as space farming does. Beginning in late 2013, NASA will be at work attempting to produce lettuce on the international space station as part of a project they have titled VEGGIE.
Process:
NASA plans to launch Kevlar packs to the International Space Station.These packs are filled with a coarse soil, akin to kitty litter, that will act as the ground for the hoped-for crops. Although the process will be in space, that doesn't necessarily mean that there is constant sunlight, so the crops will be grown under bright pink LED lights. This process will produce the lettuce in just under a month (approximately 28 days). If this project comes to fruition, then the program will move onto further food options, such as radishes, peas, and small tomatoes. [1]
Obstacles:
The main problem that NASA foresaw when beginning the project was how the crop roots would grow and orientate themselves in the orbital atmosphere. As they tested this problem, they came to a peculiar conclusion, as the orientation of the roots didn't change at all, even when exposed to zero gravity. The roots simply sought out water as any Earth plant would. Other problems that faced NASA included testing quick grow sprouts on shuttle missions, and the effects of different lights on the plants. [2]
References
1. http://modernfarmer.com/2013/09/starship-salad-bar/
2. http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/10/4715094/nasa-is-farming-lettuce-on-international-space-station
3. http://www.npr.org/2007/06/07/10792763/beyond-tang-food-in-space
4. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=space-farming-presents-ch
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