Inside NASA’s Contest to Develop the Space Food of the Future

By alexandreFinance

Inside NASA’s Contest to Develop the Space Food of the Future

Space exploration is not just about launching astronauts into the void; it also involves developing the technologies and resources required to sustain life beyond Earth. NASA is continuously seeking innovative solutions to address the challenges of living and working in space, especially when it comes to food. As such, the agency has launched a contest called “Veggie Growing Challenge: Plant Canaries in a Coal Mine,” which aims to develop sustainable food production systems for long-duration space missions. Here’s a look inside NASA’s contest to develop the space food of the future.

The Challenge

The Veggie Growing Challenge invites teams to design an automated hydroponic system capable of growing leafy greens under spaceflight conditions. The entries will be evaluated on various factors such as efficiency, crew time, and sustainability. The contest has two main objectives: first, to increase the availability of fresh food for astronauts during space missions, and second, to promote the use of hydroponics as a means of sustainable agriculture on Earth.

The challenge aims to tackle the problem of food scarcity during long-duration space missions. Current food options for astronauts are limited to pre-packaged, freeze-dried meals that have a short shelf life. Fresh produce could provide a vital source of nutrients for astronauts on extended missions, but current growing methods are inefficient and require a lot of space and resources.

The winning team will receive a prize of $40,000 to further develop their prototype, and their system will be tested aboard the International Space Station.

The Contestants

The Veggie Growing Challenge has attracted a diverse range of contestants from all over the world, including universities, non-profit organizations, and private companies. The teams have employed various techniques, from aeroponics to vertical farming, to design their prototypes.

One notable entry is from the Dagan Agricultural Automation team, which has developed a modular hydroponic system that can be adapted to fit different sizes and shapes of space modules. The system is highly efficient, with the ability to grow up to 700 plants in a 3 m3 space.

Another noteworthy entry is from the University of Guelph in Canada, which has designed a robotically assisted hydroponic system that can be remotely monitored and controlled. The system is capable of producing multiple crops simultaneously and uses recycled water to minimize waste.

The Benefits

The Veggie Growing Challenge represents a significant step towards sustainable food production in space. The use of hydroponics could reduce the amount of resources required to grow crops, such as water and fertilizer, and increase the efficiency of food production. It could also provide astronauts with a more varied and nutritious diet, improving their overall health and wellbeing.

Furthermore, the technology developed through the contest could have wider applications on Earth. Hydroponics has the potential to revolutionize agriculture by providing a means of growing crops in areas where traditional farming is not feasible, such as urban environments or arid regions. It could also help reduce the impact of agriculture on the environment by reducing water consumption and eliminating the use of harmful pesticides and herbicides.

Overall, the Veggie Growing Challenge is an exciting initiative that has the potential to advance space exploration and improve life on Earth.

NASA’s Veggie Growing Challenge is an innovative contest that aims to address the problem of sustainable food production in space. By promoting the use of hydroponics, the challenge could revolutionize the way we think about agriculture and food production, both in space and on Earth. The contestants have developed impressive technologies that could significantly improve the efficiency and sustainability of food production. Whatever the outcome of the contest, the Veggie Growing Challenge is sure to be a vital step towards the space food of the future.