The Experiment and Its Goals
The (ESA) launched a mission to test lab-grown food in space, aiming to assess its viability in low gravity and high radiation environments. This could revolutionize how astronauts are fed, potentially reducing costs significantly.
The project involves sending a small bioreactor with genetically modified yeast cells into orbit aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. This experiment is a step towards establishing a food production plant on the (ISS) within two years.
Future Implications and Innovations
If successful, lab-grown food could drastically reduce the cost of feeding astronauts, which currently can reach up to £20,000 per day per person. This technology also promises to make space habitation more sustainable by enabling food production off Earth.
The long-term vision includes using lab-grown ingredients in 3D printers to create a variety of foods in space, potentially transforming space cuisine and addressing health issues faced by astronauts on long missions.