The United Nations predicts Earth will have to feed another 2.3 billion people by 2050, mostly concentrated in urban centers far from farmland. Conventional agriculture may not be able to meet that demand, but luckily NASA has been working for decades to tackle food production both on Earth and in space.
Feeding astronauts during long-term space exploration means stretching resources to grow plants in space—including minimizing water use and energy consumption and eliminating soil.
NASA initially pioneered these techniques on the ground by building the country’s first vertical farm. Inside a decommissioned hypobaric chamber left over from testing the Mercury space capsule, technologists stacked rows of hydroponic trays like bookshelves against the walls.
Then systems for lighting, ventilation, and circulating water were added using off-the-shelf parts. Various crops were planted on the stacked trays to test how well they would grow in water and without the benefit of sunlight or open air. This innovative approach to farming created a foundation for the industry of controlled environment agriculture, or CEA.
CEA combines plant science and environmental control to optimize plant growth and maximize efficiency, frequently incorporating vertical growth structures. Technology enables the filtering of contaminants from crop water and delivers precise nutrient balances.
Artificial lighting provides only the necessary wavelengths at the right time, intensity, and duration, while environmental controls maintain ideal temperature and humidity. This approach could help feed burgeoning future generations, said Nate Storey, chief science officer at Plenty Unlimited, one of several companies building on NASA’s plant-growth research.
2. It is stated in the passage that …
A. The world will run out of food by 2050 according to the United Nations.
B. NASA has maximized a farming method requiring a little water.
C. NASA is taking over conventional agriculture to address future food demands.
D. To improve plant development, plant science must be integrated with vertical growth structures.
E. NASA's innovative approach pioneered the establishment of a controlled environment agriculture industry.
3. Regarding the role of NASA in producing food, we know that …
Baca Juga: Kenapa Susah Bobo Kalau Belum Masturbasi? Cari Tahu Jawabannya di Sini
A. The more farming techniques NASA uses, the less energy it requires.
B. The greater the space exploration is carried out, the more number of astronauts that must be fed.
C. The more people requiring food, the more maximum NASA's agricultural technology will be.
D. The longer the space expedition is, the more NASA optimizes its farming resources.
E. The more maximum NASA farming technology becomes, the less traditional farming will be required.
4. From the first paragraph, it can be predicted that …
A. NASA will be more concerned with food production in space than with food production on Earth.
B. The United Nations estimates that Earth will have to feed billions of people for a decade.
C. The most crucial aspect of long-term space exploration will be astronaut nutrition.
D. Conventional agriculture will succeed in feeding astronauts if it is combined with NASA's techniques.
E. In the future, there will not be enough land for conventional agriculture.
5. How is the second paragraph related to the first paragraph?
A. Paragraph 2 exemplifies kinds of agricultural progress discussed in paragraph 1.
B. The vertical farm described in paragraph 1 is explained in detail in paragraph 2.
C. The second paragraph expands on the first paragraph's discussion of NASA's agricultural method.
D. The second paragraph explains further the issues raised in the first paragraph regarding food demands in 2050.
E. The success of the NASA farming practices mentioned in the first paragraph is reiterated in the second paragraph.
Kunci Jawaban
1. B
2. B
3. D
4. E
5. C
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