What will astronauts on deep space missions eat? 'Neurogastronomy' may have the answer.

[Admin]

The next stage of human space exploration will involve longer missions off-Earth, and the Humanity in Deep Space initiative is considering what and how astronauts on these missions will eat.

What will astronauts on deep space missions eat? 'Neurogastronomy' may have the answer. : Read more

 

[Unclear Engineer]

With astronauts already spending as much as a year in low Earth orbit, I would think that the menu selection and micro-gravity preparation aspects would already be studied. But, those foods do not need to be grown on the ISS, so maybe this is aimed more at how to deal with the need to make edible matter while in space, perhaps by recycling wastes to water and food?

From the psychological standpoint, I know that variety is important. Just in my own backpacking experience, I found the mixing peanuts, raisins and M&Ms to make GORP resulted in me getting very tired of the flavor of that mixture in about 3 days. So, when going out for a couple of weeks, I did not mix these 3 things, but ate them separately. I also took separate cashews, almonds, dried apricots and a variety of jerky flavors. Even when I got back, I still liked to eat the individual items. Extra GORP I just threw away, even after short trips.

So, for a 3 year trip to Mars, I suspect they are going to need a really varied menu. And, making ingredients onboard to do that seems like a real challenge.

 

[murgatroyd]

A greenhouse pre-positioned on Mars to greet the first humans would seem to be a must. That is, if we ever manage to land a crew there. The age of exploration (Columbus, Magellan, etc.) does not provide much of a guide to this undertaking. They merely extended the range of sailships by a few times the distance previously traveled.

From our Moon to Mars is nearly a thousand times more.

 

[Phillip Huggan]

A brick exiting consistency is wanted. The number of biologists will be limited. Small complexity ecosystems can go without much maintenance and the animals can reflect what will survive and what can provide manufacturing stock. Spiders for some if optimally fed. Ponds are a low-G edge. Crayfish and shrimp. Water is flamable but caves support molluscs and 3d printing with granite should eventually permit clams (good for skeleton). Scorpions will survive radiation (ground in flour?). Ants are acidic. Fish swim downwards. Jellyfish are natural for space. A lot of toxic creatures are there you wouldn't want in a food chain in space but have medicinal properties so we might as well eat them before they kill too many other animals. Space cotton might lead to edible oil or feed oil. I imagine edible barnacles are free in a few 1000 yrs with a big aquifer. 3d printing food waxes is there we need to learn which bodyshop products are longevity.

 

[billslugg]

It's hard to find decent scorpion flour these days. Spider flour is a poor substitute, even when the pH is adjusted with acid ants.

 

[Phillip Huggan]

I only had time to make noodles in Jr. High so would appreciate the product. A teeny slaughterhouse for insects would lead to bigger creatures to a point for a choice cut. Coral reef and subsoil are two harder ecosystems. Urchins and Sea cucumber make the reefs. A pigeon or hummingbird is very unlikely to survive the shrew/vole soil pile but not infinitesimal odds. Bats are a biohazard as are for me mushrooms. One biologist can administer the cave part of an ecosystem, and it may be for their community whether to prioritize a Coral Reef or space live young births in soil and need two on site.