A project centred on developing vertical farms fit for space exploration has received a research grant of up to £75,000 from the UK Space Agency.
The project will be led by research and development company Vertical Future and result in the development of a Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) facility – or ‘vertical farm’ – to be used in future space exploration missions.
Vertical Future will work in partnership with both plant biology and space technology companies including Axiom Space, Saber Astronautics, the University of Southern Queensland and its Plants for Space (P4S) research partners from the University of Adelaide and the University of Cambridge.
As a result of its involvement in the UK Space Agency project, Vertical Future will be the first UK-based company working in the agri-space sector.
Chief scientific officer at Vertical Future, Dr. Jennifer Bromley, said the company was excited to have the opportunity to work alongside global experts in both plant biology and space technology to develop “life-changing technology”.
“Several studies have shown that having access to high-quality fresh produce is important not just for one’s nutrition but also their mental well-being,” she said.
“Astronauts typically lack access to a varied diet whilst in space which this project is working to solve, by providing a wide variety of high-quality produce that can be grown on a space vessel.
“While this project may sound like the plotline of The Martian, it is important to develop new and innovative ways for astronauts to survive and thrive in their ventures to not just the Moon but also Mars and beyond.”
Bromley said many other technological advances have come from the space industry and that the findings of the project and its research can be applied on Earth.
Chief executive of the UK Space Agency, Dr. Paul Bate, said: “Projects like this, which will see Vertical Future work with the University of Cambridge and partners in Australia and the US to develop the use of autonomous agriculture technology for space exploration, highlight the many ways in which we can collaborate with the global space community to help humanity push the boundaries of space innovation and unlock commercial opportunities that will benefit our economy now and in the future.”
The project
The first phase of the project will focus on researching the design requirements for a fully autonomous agriculture system that can be monitored and operated remotely or through the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
This will then be used to support space explorations, including future Moon-to-Mars Artemis missions, Vertical Future said.
A workshop will be hosted in NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre where the project team will research and develop the specifications for a CEA facility that can adapt to the conditions of deep space.
The second phase of the project will focus on the implementation of the CEA system on the International Space Station (ISS) – the largest modular space station in low-Earth orbit.
It will also be implemented in the world’s first commercial space station, which is currently in development by project partner Axiom Space.
Back down to Earth
Vertical Future said the research carried out throughout the project will “benefit us here on Earth” and will be used to support the development of more efficient CEA systems/vertical farms.
“By incorporating the project’s research, CEA systems on Earth will be able to continue to evolve and become more efficient and effective,” it said.
“Vertical farming can already produce a wide variety of higher quality fresh produce that will keep prices down for consumers and offer a more reliable source due to the lack of effect caused by extreme weather conditions or disruptions to the supply chain.
“These facilities can produce fresh produce in urban or degraded environments, minimising the need for labour and resource inputs such as water, energy, fertiliser, and pesticides, while maximising yields, reducing reliance on imports, keeping costs down for consumers, and combatting supply chain issues.”
Executive vice-president for in-space solutions at Axiom Space, Christian Maender, said international collaborations, like the Vertical Future project, are an “important component of a future robust space economy” as well as the future of agriculture on Earth.
“This unique collaboration, supported by the UK Space Agency, stands to provide agricultural innovation that will benefit life on Earth and contribute to sustaining a human presence on other planets as part of continued exploration goals,” he said.