Astronaut Don Pettit Grew a Purple Potato, 'Spudnik,' on the ISS
Potatoes are on the menu, folks -- at least in space. Don Pettit conducted an exciting experiment during his free time aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The oldest active astronaut in history grew a purple potato, which he cleverly named "Spudnik."
Pettit shared his creation on X (Twitter), explaining the how and why of it all:
"I flew potatoes on Expedition 72 for my space garden, an activity I did in my off-duty time. This is an early purple potato, complete with spot of hook Velcro to anchor it in my improvised grow light terrarium.
Potatoes are one of the most efficient plants based on edible nutrition to total plant mass (including roots). Recognized by Andy Weir in his book/movie 'The Martian,' potatoes will have a place in future exploration of space. So I thought it good to get started now!"
Spudnik-1, an orbiting potato on @Space_Station!
— Don Pettit (@astro_Pettit) March 20, 2026
I flew potatoes on Expedition 72 for my space garden, an activity I did in my off-duty time. This is an early purple potato, complete with spot of hook Velcro to anchor it in my improvised grow light terrarium.
Potatoes are one… pic.twitter.com/MXsoV20vJ8
Pettit embarked on Expedition 72 on Sept. 11, 2024, launching aboard Soyuz MS-26 with Russian cosmonauts Aleksey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner. He remained on the ISS for 220 days before returning to Earth on April 20, 2025. Pettit and his crew conducted vital research, including a study on ocular changes from living in space.
The astronaut shared another photo of his off-duty project a few weeks ago, featuring Spudnik growing out of an old drink bag. While Spudnik looks quite fuzzy and extraterrestrial, it's actually edible. The microgravity caused its roots to grow upward, and as Pettit noted in another social media post, "roots generally head towards moisture but sometimes they get confused and grow 'upwards.'"
Pettit also posted his work on Reddit, remarking that 'The Martian' knows a thing or two about potatoes and their ability to help humans live in space. "Maybe one day potatoes will grow on Mars! Until then, we learn what we can in Earth orbit."
Admittedly, Spudnik looks almost too pretty to eat.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Apr 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 7:55 AM.