Business Notes Experiments

Ever since America's astronauts began guzzling Tang drink in space in 1965, NASA crews have been dining on food products made on earth. Now the agency, interested in the nourishment of future space colonists, plans to grow food in flight. Along with a six-member crew, the space shuttle Challenger, due to take off on Jan. 22, will have on board 32 chicken eggs.

The experiment was proposed by Purdue University Sophomore John Vellinger, a winner of NASA's 1983 national space competition. He hypothesized that an embryo would develop better in space than on earth because it would not be influenced by gravity. Chicken eggs were chosen because the incubation period is just 21 days. The eggs will remain in a container in the shuttle for six days and then hatch within 13 days after touchdown.

The $50,000 project is being paid for by Kentucky Fried Chicken, which is interested in anything that relates to its product. Says Vellinger: "If space chickens turn out to be better than earth chickens, Kentucky Fried Chicken might be interested in raising chickens in a weightless environment." In other words, the colonel wants to see if space chickens have the right stuff.