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Astronauts to Cultivate Mushrooms in Space for the First Time on SpaceX Mission
SpaceX’s upcoming Fram2 mission will mark a groundbreaking moment in space exploration as astronauts attempt to grow mushrooms in space for the very first time. This innovative experiment aims to assess the viability of cultivating fungi in microgravity, potentially paving the way for sustainable food sources for astronauts on long-duration missions. The mission, set to launch aboard a Falcon 9 rocket, will carry a four-person crew on a unique polar trajectory.
Fram2 Mission: A Polar Expedition for Scientific Advancement
The Fram2 mission, anticipated to launch as early as Monday, will deploy via a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This mission is unique as the first human spaceflight endeavor to traverse Earth’s polar regions. The crew of four will journey into a 90-degree orbit, enabling them to pass over both the North and South Poles, conducting experiments while orbiting Earth.
Mission MushVroom: Exploring Space-Grown Fungi
Central to the Fram2 mission is Mission MushVroom, an experiment spearheaded by Australian company FOODiQ Global. During the flight, astronauts will endeavor to cultivate oyster mushrooms in microgravity. This research is driven by the potential of mushrooms to serve as a wholesome, palatable, and sustainable food resource for extended space voyages to destinations like the moon and Mars, according to FOODiQ Global.
Oyster Mushrooms: Ideal Space Crop Candidate
Flávia Fayet-Moore, CEO of FOODiQ Global and the lead scientist for the experiment, highlighted the advantages of mushrooms for space agriculture.
“Mushrooms represent an ideal space crop,” Fayet-Moore stated. “Oyster mushrooms exhibit rapid growth in confined spaces, doubling in size daily, and boast a nutrient-dense profile.”
She further elaborated on the nutritional benefits, particularly highlighting Vitamin D production: “Remarkably, they can produce 100% of an astronaut’s daily vitamin D requirement when exposed to UV light. This capability could potentially replace a key supplement currently provided on the International Space Station.”
Meet the Fram2 Crew
The Fram2 mission is under the leadership of Maltese entrepreneur Chun Wang. The crew includes:
- Jannicke Mikkelsen (Norway): Vehicle Commander
- Eric Philips (Australia): Medical Officer and Mission Specialist
- Rabea Rogge (Germany): Pilot
Notably, this mission marks the inaugural spaceflight for all four individuals.
Research Focus: Astronaut Health and Nutrition
Throughout the planned three-to-five-day SpaceX mission, the crew will engage in diverse research experiments with a primary focus on astronaut health, where appropriate nutrition plays a vital role. Philips will lead the mushroom cultivation experiment on the mission’s final day.
Umami in Space: Enhancing Astronaut Diet with Mushrooms
Fayet-Moore noted the challenges of space cuisine, explaining that “food often tastes bland in space due to altered taste perception and the necessity for low-sodium diets to mitigate the adverse impacts of microgravity on bone density.”
Mushrooms offer a potential solution: “Mushrooms are rich in umami flavor, one of the few tastes that remains robust in space. Oyster mushrooms are also highly adaptable, scalable, and can utilize 100% of inedible plant waste, and even cotton t-shirts, as growth medium.”
MushVroom Experiment Details
The MushVroom experiment will involve the crew preparing the oyster mushroom substrate and observing its fruiting process. This phase is critical for spore release, which is necessary for the fungus to produce mushrooms.
Monitoring Mushroom Growth in Space
Astronauts will meticulously track the growth rate of the mushrooms (fruiting bodies), check for contamination indicators, and assess various other growth characteristics. Post-mission, scientists at FOODiQ Global will analyze the space-grown mushrooms to study the effects of microgravity, comparing them to Earth-grown samples.
Significance for Space Exploration and Food Security
Ralph Fritsche, former NASA space crop production manager and NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge expert, emphasized the importance of this endeavor.
“Successfully cultivating edible mushrooms in space is a significant step forward for both space exploration and sustainable nutrition,” Fritsche stated. “Mission MushVroom is crucial for advancing sustainable space food production for long-duration missions – such as Mars expeditions – and provides valuable insights applicable to enhancing global food security on Earth. It is truly groundbreaking.”