A hi-tech vegetable garden for growing microgreens on the Moon and in extreme environments like the poles, set up inside a special 'igloo greenhouse' designed to withstand very low temperatures. But also space missions simulated thanks to advanced immersive virtual reality techniques. That is the challenge of V-GELM (Virtual Greenhouse Experimental Lunar Module) the experimental project starting tomorrow July 10 and running until July 19 at the Casaccia Research Centre. The project aims to develop a lunar cultivation module combining innovative hydroponic cultivation techniques with virtual experiments to support astronauts' lives in future long-term missions.
 The project will be carried out by a team of researchers from ENEA and students from the Centro Interdipartimentale Territorio Edilizia Restauro Ambiente -  Interdepartmental Centre for Territory, Housing, Heritage and Environment (CITERA), Sapienza University of Rome, and Tuscia University and will be livestreamed on Saturday, July 11 (11-12.30 am).

V-GELM has been selected among the best projects conducted by university teams from around the world as part of the European Space Agency's (ESA) IGLUNA 2020 mission, which will be presented today by the Swiss Space Center coordinator.

The project has been divided into two phases: the first phase in collaboration with the Mars Planet Society, involved students and researchers in the architectural and functional design of specific spaces also simulated through immersive techniques of virtual reality. The main character of the second phase will be Hort3, the innovative ENEA vegetable garden where the hydroponic cultivation of two particular varieties of radish, Daikon and Rioja, will be experimented inside a special marquee called "EGG" for its distinctive egg shape, realized by the University of Milan.

"The virtual experiment will provide the public with a realistic interactive perspective suitable for simulating environments, operations, and ergonomic analysis. In this way it is possible to identify any critical issues from the outset and reduce the costs of developing space modules and the training time of astronauts", says Luca Nardi of the ENEA Biotechnology Laboratory. The module developed by ENEA as part of the Hortspace project, funded by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), consists of a 1 m3 closed-loop multilevel hydroponic cultivation system with LED lighting where the different species of microgreens are grown, specially selected to reach the ideal growth stage for consumption within 10-15 days.

"It is a cultivation system above ground with water recycling, without the use of pesticides and agropharmaceuticals. It can guarantee fresh food of high quality and correct nutritional contribution to the crew members engaged in space missions - explains Luca Nardi of the ENEA Biotechnology Laboratory - without forgetting the psychological benefit given by the growth of plants in confined environments, such as those of future extraterrestrial bases or even in extreme environments, such as hot and cold deserts".