La NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), has created a contest related to space and food called Deep Space Food Challenge. From now on you can participate and the prize is no small thing, up to $ 500,000 (about 412,000 euros).
This succulent amount of money will be given to the one who provides the best idea to grow foods such as potatoes, carrots, lettuce or tomatoes in space. The idea can be submitted on the contest website, with a deadline that has already started and will remain open. until next July 30.
“This challenge seeks incentivize teams to develop new technologies and / or systems for food production that do not need to meet all the nutritional requirements of future crews, but they can contribute significantly and be integrated into a comprehensive food system “, they explain.
The goal, feed astronauts for three years
Before embarking and traveling outside the earth’s atmosphere, heShips or ferries are equipped with everything their crews will need on board, and that includes food. Inside some trays are food and everything you need to eat. They also carry small packages with dehydrated dishes.
Nevertheless, these foods are scarce, you cannot take a large conserve, and depending on the duration of the trip you have to ration the food more. Thus, with this contest the objective is to find a formula for feeding a crew of four astronauts on a three-year space mission.
Also, if the winning idea for space cultivation succeeds, could also be used on land not initially suitable for agriculture, thus solving a double problem.
Will have to wait until the month of September to know the winning initiative and its creators. To get there and win the prize, they must first pass a first phase of the contest, in which up to 20 teams, those with the best score, can win $ 25,000 each. Then, They will go on to the second phase, where the final amount will reach up to half a million euros here.