The European Space Agency (ESA) has initiated a ground-breaking experiment to grow food in space, which could change the way astronauts eat in the future. About this informs BBC.
As part of the SpaceX Falcon 9 mission, a miniature bioreactor was delivered into space to test the possibility of growing food from cells in conditions of microgravity and high levels of radiation. The success of this experiment can become the basis for the creation of autonomous food factories in orbit, as well as on the moon or Mars.
The project is funded by ESA in collaboration with British startup Frontier Space and Imperial College London. The main aim is to significantly reduce the cost of delivering food to crews, which can currently run up to £20,000 per day per person.
Lab foods are lab-grown ingredients, including proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, obtained through precision fermentation. After processing, they can be used to create full-fledged dishes, for example, steak or puree.
This technology is already being implemented on Earth — in particular, test-tube meat is being sold in the United States and Singapore, and permission to sell an artificial steak is expected in Great Britain. The samples sent into space will serve as the basis for the creation of a larger bioreactor, which is planned to be used during a future mission to the International Space Station in 2026.
According to researchers, in the future it will be possible to “print” food directly in space using 3D printers. This will not only reduce logistical costs, but also provide the crews with a complete diet adapted to the conditions of long space missions.
