Columbus: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) invites the media and public to explore cutting-edge advancements in space food technology at the Deep Space Food Challenge symposium. The event will take place at the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Centre in Columbus, Ohio, on August 16.
Launched in 2019 in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the Deep Space Food Challenge is a multi-year international initiative aimed at developing sustainable food systems for extended space missions, including future trips to the Moon and Mars. Since the first phase in 2021, over 300 teams from 32 countries have presented innovative designs for space food systems. The event will wind up with NASA announcing the final Phase 3 winners and recognising the global effort involved.
NASA will award up to $1.5 million during the ceremony, bringing the total prize purse for the three-year competition to $3 million. The event will also honour international teams for their contributions.
Kim Krome-Sieja, Acting Programme Manager of NASA Centennial Challenges at the Marshall Space Flight Centre stated that, “Advanced food systems developed through this challenge not only benefit space missions but also have potential applications on Earth. They could offer new solutions for food production in extreme environments, resource-scarce regions, and in locations where disasters disrupt critical infrastructure.”
The Methuselah Foundation, NASA’s partner in the Deep Space Food Challenge, is hosting the event in coordination with the Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences and NASA Centennial Challenges.
The Deep Space Food Challenge is a NASA Centennial Challenge, conducted in partnership with CSA. It is supported by subject matter experts at NASA’s Johnson Space Centre and Kennedy Space Centre.
POPULAR | NASA chooses 3 firms to develop Artemis lunar rover
