Astronauts chow down on space-grown lettuce

Astronaut Scott Kelly used a small bottle to spread olive oil and balsamic vinegar on his leaf, much as one might spread ketchup on a hot dog.

The red romaine lettuce that was grown in a special box aboard the International Space Station made headlines earlier this week in a video from the orbiting outpost. While it's hardly the start of an intergalactic food-and-beverage industry, NASA says if space explorers can grow their own food while they are away from the Earth, they are more likely to survive the rigors of deep space exploration lasting months or even years.

Ray Wheeler, NASA's lead scientist for advanced life support activities at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, also says fresh foods that contain antioxidants, such as tomatoes, blueberries and red lettuce, "could have a positive impact on people's moods and also could provide some protection against radiation in space."