Asteroid material is being investigated as a potential food source for astronauts on space missions
A space exploration is about to take a giant leap forward in terms of nutrition for astronauts, with scientists investigating an innovative solution: turning asteroid material into food. Researchers at Western University, in Canada, are developing a futuristic approach to converting compounds found on asteroids into a source of sustenance for long-duration missions.
The idea is to use bacteria to consume the asteroid material and then convert it into edible biomass, creating a potential solution to the challenge of feeding multi-year space missions, such as those planned for Mars.
Nutrition for astronauts
Providing a sustainable food supply for astronauts on long-duration space travel is one of the greatest challenges in space exploration. To date, the main solutions have involved transporting food from Earth or growing plants on board spacecraft.
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However, these alternatives have limitations. The space required to transport large quantities of food or to maintain cultivation systems is limited, especially on long-duration missions where the amount of supplies needs to be minimized.
Now, scientists are proposing a radically different solution: using asteroids as a food source. The idea is to feed bacteria carbon-rich asteroid compounds, which are then converted into edible biomass.
The team tested the idea by feeding microorganisms materials that mimic the composition of asteroids like Bennu, which have a high concentration of carbon. The result was a nutritious biomass, described by the researchers as having the texture of a “caramel milkshake,” containing proteins, carbohydrates and fats in proportions ideal for human consumption.
Viability
While the idea of producing food from asteroid material is promising, it still faces many challenges. In their studies, the researchers calculated that a 500-meter asteroid like Bennu could theoretically provide enough biomass to feed between 600 and 17.000 astronauts for a year, depending on the efficiency of the process. bacterial.
This could revolutionize space exploration, reducing the need to carry copious food supplies on missions to the Moon, Mars or beyond.
However, the practical application of this concept is still far from being achieved. One of the biggest challenges is the variability of the composition of asteroids.
Not all asteroids contain the carbon compounds needed to feed bacteria, which makes choosing targets very important. Furthermore, the technology needed to process asteroid material into a viable food source would require complex and robust systems capable of operating in space conditions. extreme.
Joshua Pearce, the lead researcher, highlighted that a “super machine” would be needed to break down the asteroid material and manage the growth of bacteria.
Another significant challenge is the difficulty of testing the process on real asteroid material. The team is currently conducting experiments on meteorites that have fallen to Earth, since they share a similar composition to many asteroids.
However, these meteorites are valuable, and collecting them for experiments is not always feasible, which represents a significant limitation in research.
Future perspectives for spatial food innovation
Despite the obstacles, the potential for producing food from asteroids is immense and could revolutionize the future of space missions.
Once the concept is fully developed, creating a food source in space itself could make missions a Mars and beyond more viable and sustainable. This would eliminate dependence on resupply from Earth and open up new opportunities for long-term habitation in space.
Scientists involved in the research believe that with advances in technology and bacterial science, the concept could be scaled up to industrial levels.
This would mean that large amounts of asteroid material could be processed into food, providing an ongoing and sustainable solution to astronauts' nutritional needs.
Furthermore, this approach could provide insights into Earth’s own biology. Previous research suggests that early microorganisms on Earth may have consumed material from meteorites, which could have played an important role in the development of life on the planet.
Likewise, microbes in space could thrive on asteroids, creating a fascinating connection between Earth biology and space exploration.
Annemiek Waajen, researcher at the Free University Amsterdam, commented: “There is definitely potential, but it is still a very futuristic and exploratory idea..” While there is still much work to be done, the research is opening doors to new ways to sustain life in space, a key issue for the success of long-term missions.