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INNOVATION IN PRACTICE
The Future of Food Off-world and On
Agricultural research supports long-term space habitation possibilities, while accelerating sustainable food production research for Earth.
By Professor Matthew Gilliham
explorers is one of the greatest obstacles for mis- sion planners. This is because mass and volume re- strictions prevent enough food being taken on the voyage to Mars, and resource resupply from Earth is not a viable option; furthermore, even if enough food could be sent in advance, food stability of es- sential vitamins and nutrients for longer periods of time is not yet achievable. Space and Mars missions provide the ultimate microcosm environment in which we will need to achieve sustainable food in a closed loop system.
In the next five years there will be a new space sta- tion orbiting the moon, by the end of the decade a crewed lunar base will have been established, and by 2040 humans will have stepped onto the sur- face of Mars. These are the aspirations of Earth’s space agencies and, whilst the propulsion systems to reach our off-World targets are well-advanced, critical technologies that will ultimately enable re- mote human habitation lag far in development. In particular, the challenge of providing the ad- equate and varied diet to ensure healthy space
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