US scientists plan greenhouses on the Moon

Astronaut's meals have come a long way from the freeze-dried powders and semi-liquid pastes of decades ago; now US scientists want to grow vegetables in mini-greenhouses on the Moon.
    
Although space fare has steadily improved over time, a team of scientists says the best is yet to come.

They look forward to when residents of future lunar or even Martian outposts can dine on luxuries such as fresh vegetables.

Paragon Space Development Corporation has unveiled what it called the first step toward growing flowers - and eventually food -- on the Moon.

Paragon, an Arizona company that has partnered with NASA in previous experiments on the Space Shuttle and International Space Station, calls it a "Lunar Oasis".

This is a sealed greenhouse that looks like a bell jar encased in a 1.5 foot (46-centimetre) tall triangular aluminium frame.
   
It is designed to safely land a laboratory plant on the lunar surface, and protect it while it grows.

The miniature greenhouse is to be launched into space by Odyssey Moon Ltd, a participant in the Google Lunar X Prize.

This competition offers $20 million to any entrant who can launch, land and operate a rover on the lunar surface.