With all the challenges that Earth is facing today, is space exploration worth the trouble?
I get asked this question very often; there are many people wondering why a significant number of resources is being used towards research that will benefit only a handful of astronauts. My way of approaching this is to reframe the topic of space exploration inside the asker's head, to give them a construct they can resonate with. I will leave to engineers the description of technologies built initially for space programmes but turned out essential to households, like the vacuum cleaner. In a similar fashion, I will let mathematicians and meteorologists explain the way satellites allow us to share information and monitor our planet's climate. My specialty is food, so, I am listing here 6 situations, occurring on our very own Earth, in which astronaut food has had or could have a significant impact.
1. Food Safety Protocols Before NASA started wondering how it will feed its astronauts, the closest thing to a food safety protocol was a simple inspection of the final product. That wasn't good enough for a mission to space; NASA developed a system, the Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) which would guarantee safe food for the astronauts. HACCP includes mapping out the production process of food, identifying the stages at which a hazard can occur, and making sure that the hazard is minimized downstream the process. For example, the cocoa beans used for making chocolate bars can get contaminated with microbes and even mould when, during the manufacturing process, they are left to dry. However, in a consequent step, the cocoa beans are boiled at a specific temperature for a specific time, ensuring that all microorganisms are killed off and the final product will be safe.
HACCP was a huge success, and it got quickly adopted by more and more companies. Today, FDA has rendered it mandatory for meat, seafood, and juice processing, and there are also many restaurants that practice it voluntarily. It is even being taught in universities that prepare students for working in the food industry, which means that HACCP accompanied me for many years during my studies before I actually found out it originates from NASA's efforts to keep astronauts safe.
2. Disaster Response Operations None of us is a stranger to the requests of relief groups for donations of food and other goods that follow a disaster. You might have noticed that, most of the times, the requests specify that the food has to have long shelf-life, so that it will remain safe for consumption even when stored in areas where amenities like fridges are absent. Additionally, it is preferable if the food item is easy to prepare and consume, and if it is high in nutritional value; meaning a lot of calories and nutrients packed in little space, so that it's easier to ship and store. Imagine now the context of food in a spaceship. Long shelf-life is important, as the spaceship will probably have no fridge, and missions can span over months, or even years as we venture further away from Earth. Astronauts have little time between experiments, maintenance work, and exercising, and in the absence of gravity and a typical kitchen, the practicality of a food item is paramount. Lastly, the success of a mission can depend on the nutritional value of the food items it includes, as it can decrease both the shipping costs and the chances of the astronauts falling ill due to malnourishment and nutritional deficiencies. As you can see, the suitable food items for these two situations have a lot in common. By researching ways to make astronaut food more nutritious and more appetizing, we are simultaneously paving the way for better support, not only towards the people affected by disasters, but also towards the people offering their help.
3. Defence Missions Soldiers have to be ready to be deployed anywhere, at any time, and to engage in a broad spectrum of activities. Whether the mission includes conflict prevention, disaster management, or an actual war operation, chances are that regular food service facilities will be unavailable. This element, alongside with the time and space constraints they usually operate under, directs the characteristics of the food items provided: shelf-stable, easy to use, nutritious. As seen above, these attributes are also of great importance when designing astronaut food. Maintaining fitness is essential for both soldiers and astronauts, and a balanced diet is the cornerstone of overall health. By devising appropriate and cost-efficient food items for astronauts, we offer solutions for the soldiers of the armed forces as well.
4. Food Security for Isolated and Poor Populations Scarcity of foods does not occur only when a disaster strikes. Sadly, there are entire populations that are constantly malnourished as a result of the limited access they have to food and feed. Such a situation of vulnerability to food insecurity can arise in isolated or remote communities, like indigenous people. It can also be observed in countries that have struggled with poverty and harsh climatic conditions for decades, in countries where war conflicts develop, and in countries where humanitarian organizations cannot reach. Operating on a remote location, where it will be difficult for food to be transported, is basically in an astronaut's job description. Space agencies have their eyes on sustainable life-support systems that will produce food and recycle as many resources as possible, in order to support missions taking place so far that resupply won't be an option. Any lessons learned from the development of circular, independent food production systems for astronauts can be applied for providing isolated and poor populations with the capacity to sustain themselves with the lowest input possible.
5. Climate Change-Related Food Insecurity Climate change is impacting weather patterns, affecting all components of crop production. Droughts, flooding, and heat waves are occurring more frequently than before, with even heavier consequences every time. As a result, crop yields are projected to be dramatically reduced, like in the case of Madagascar, currently facing a famine which is being aggravated by the absence of rain due to climate change. Moreover, it is likely for food-growing areas to be rendered unsuitable for cultivation in the future, as the environmental conditions change from temperate to extreme. This shift will exacerbate food insecurity, as it can lead to prices of food skyrocketing, with the supply diminishing and the demand continuously increasing. Food production systems built for astronauts will take into account the lack of natural resources in outer space. Thus, they would be the fitting, highly sustainable solution, that can provide edible items to terrestrial populations under the harshest environmental circumstances.
6. Climate Change Mitigation When talking about slowing down or even stopping climate change, sustainability is the mantra. Reducing our carbon emissions is a challenge that requires from us to replace cattle with more plants or even with some more unusual food sources, like insects or microorganisms. You can bet that space agencies would be very eager to investigate the potential of alternative food sources. Cattle is very difficult, if not impossible, to transport and tend to, whether in a spaceship or on a base. The attempts to cover the sustainability needs and the nutritional requirements of a space mission are certainly going to lead to innovative techniques for securing a safe and valuable product from unconventional food sources. Ultimately, a food production system that can be maintained and can deliver nutritious food items will be developed, and its applications do not have to remain contained in the space sector. Thus, one can definitely support that space food characteristics and the logic for its development are not exclusive to the space sector. Go ahead and share this perspective about research for space food if you agree!
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