2025 SIVB: Living on the Edge: Challenges for Supporting Humans in Deep Space

Food systems for deep space must address five key areas: resource use, reliability, acceptability, food and meal preparation, and safety of the system as well as the food produced. So far, astronauts rely heavily on prepackaged, heat stabilized foods with no ability to “cook” or refrigerate foods or their ingredients. Fresh produce and other perishable food items are only available for a short period after the arrival of cargo vessel. The current ISS food system is designed to supply foods for less than three years, while Mars missions will require foods having at least a five-year shelf life. Plant growth systems can produce fresh, nutrient rich foods and offer other benefits. Currently plant and other systems are being explored as ways to provide fresh food, vitamins and other essential nutrients to crews, particularly ones with shorter shelf lives or that reduce radiation damage. This presentation will focus on the benefits and challenges of fresh food systems for deep space, as well as learnings and alternative approaches being explored by NASA and coming from the NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge.