Astronauts used to only have freeze-dried powders and semi-liquid pastes（冻干粉和半液状的糊糊）for meals. Now US scientists want to grow vegetables in mini-greenhouses on the Moon. They look forward to(provide) astronauts or space travelers with fine dinners of fresh vegetables in the future.
Paragon, a company that works with NASA, has designed the "Lunar Oasis（月亮绿洲）".
"Lunar Oasis" is a small greenhouse. It looks like a bell jar put into a 46cm-tall frame. The frame is designed to protect plants while they grow on the Moon.
They plan to send the small greenhouse into space (successful) in 2020. Scientists will put brassica（芸苔）seeds —like acabbage —in the greenhouse. Because this kind of vegetable goes from seed to flower in just 14 days, it can complete (it) life cycle in just one night on the Moon.
The Moon greenhouse has been compared to an experiment at the South Pole. The South Pole greenhouse, now in its(five) year, allows workers living in the coldest place on Earth to have (tomato), lettuces, strawberries and herbs.
"Living on the Moon seems so far away, but it is (importance) that we do this research now," said Jane Poynter, the president of Paragon.
