Lost Tomato Found: NASA's Discovery of a Space-Stranded Tomato

NASA astronaut Frank Rubio's long-lost space tomatoes, which were misplaced on the International Space Station for 8 months, have been found slightly discolored and dehydrated but with no visible microbial or fungal growth. The tomatoes were part of NASA's VEG-05 project to study crop growth in space and were grown on the space station's vegetable facility. Rubio was accused of eating the tomatoes but was vindicated after they were discovered. The tomatoes will not be returning to Earth, but plant research continues on the space station to assess genetic adaptions in plants grown in space and their transferability to future generations. Space gardening has psychological benefits for astronauts, including increased quality of life and morale.