Astronauts on the moon and Mars could soon have fresh food to eat, thanks to a radical new 'space greenhouse'.
German researchers are testing the system, which uses recycled urine to manufacture fertiliser, according to Mail Online.
They hope to build a complete greenhouse in an inhospitable part of Antarctica to test the first 'space garden' in 2016/17.
It will also use specially-developed purple LED lighting to boost produce growth rates, the news outlet reports.
The system is being developed at the German Aerospace Center in Bremen, and is called EDEN (Evolution & Design of Environmentally-closed Nutrition sources).
Research engineer Lucie Poulet, said: 'One of our projects is to test a greenhouse module at the Neumayer Station III in Antarctica, where the winter team stays in total isolation for nine months in a row in a hostile environment.
'We want to find ways to meet the group’s needs when it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables, but it will also enable us to study the psychological influence of plants on human isolation.
'Ultimately this analogue test site will enable us to generate good research data for future human space exploration and, in extension, human settlement in the solar system.'
Christopher Steele of Heliospectra, which manufactures the LED lights in the system,added: 'We want to be a part of developing the plant growing opportunities of the future, whether it is here on earth or in space.'
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