The launch of NASA’s Artemis I rocket is a big step forward in allowing humans to dive deeper and stay in space longer than ever before. Future Artemis missions are planned to take the crew to the Moon and eventually Mars, which will likely take three years for each path. But what will the astronauts eat? There are so many protein bars and vitamins that you can tolerate and survive for years. Plants, with their incredible ability to convert light, water and carbon dioxide (CO₂) into food, are the basis of life on Earth and the logical solution to sustaining humans in space.

Space garden challenges

Astronauts have already eaten space radishes, red peppers and lettuce grown on the International Space Station, and fresh vegetables grown in microgravity can support health and well-being. But growing a thriving space garden comes with a number of challenges. Space environments are rich in CO₂, devoid of soil microbes, have varying gravity, are exposed to potentially harmful solar radiation, and require the use of recycled, high-saline water. In order for plants to thrive in space and offer the full spectrum of nutrients for human health, they must be modified.

After months of freeze-dried or prepackaged space food, imagine going to your space garden and picking a ripe, juicy tomato and chili pepper to add to your tacos. Adding fresh produce was a good way to make the astronauts feel better, provide essential vitamins and minerals, and add variety and flavor, especially since the low gravity environment affects our taste and smell. consumed some in tacos. Image credit: NASA Johnson, CC BY-NC-ND

A renewable source of fresh food is essential for future long-duration space missions to prevent astronauts from experiencing “food fatigue”, malnutrition and weight loss.

Currently, space plants are grown in closed boxes with a porous clay “soil” containing low-energy LED lamps, water, nutrients and oxygen reaching the roots; high-tech sensors and cameras monitor the condition of the facilities. Plants did not evolve to grow in a box and use energy and resources ready for changes in light, temperature, and disease that limited their full growth potential.

Therefore, there is a great opportunity to adapt plant genetics to produce fast-growing food crops such as tomatoes, carrots, spinach and strawberries that are designed to reach their maximum potential in closed, controlled environments.

The sustainable future of the space facility

Future systems for growing plants in space must be fully sustainable. That means working with any other system on a space station or lunar-Mars base, recycling water and nutrients. Astronauts have also successfully grown radishes on the ISS, providing additional data on space gardening experiments.

All plant parts will need to be used to convert them into useful products such as food, compost or fuel and plastic. Human waste, including urine, is a food source for plants, but they must also be able to cope with this saltwater source. However, there is one plant that might be particularly suited to the task.

Watercress may not be available in your local supermarket, but this super fast growing herb can be in any space garden thanks to its ability to thrive in recycled water and being zero waste when the plant is eaten whole.

Watercress doubles its weight in just two days, is harvested continuously and contains plenty of protein, nutrients, antioxidants and vitamins. It lacks only a few essential elements (such as vitamin B12/D) that would make it a reliable primary source for a complete human diet.

Recent technical advances in genome editing, gene editing, and nutrient analysis techniques can be used to tailor duckweed and other plants for optimum growth, minimal waste, and complete nutrition. New herbs designed this way may contain perfectly balanced proteins for human digestion and use, healthy vegetable oils to boost energy, and soluble fiber to improve gut and cardiovascular health. “. Credits: Onushi/Shutterstock

The quest for space exploration has brought us thousands of innovations that we use in our daily lives. We can expect that the inventions we invent to support the development of humans in space will provide numerous and important benefits for the sustainable development of the Earth, particularly regarding the on-demand supply of food and biomaterials. Experts from around the world, including plant biologists, engineers, food chemists, psychologists, sensory experts, nutritionists, ethicists and legal professionals, work together to achieve these dual goals.

A new frontier of human achievement is on the horizon – soon people will not only be amazed at the night sky, but will travel to places beyond our own atmosphere, thus planting the seeds of a new way of life. The world and not only. Source