A Canadian company is taking steps towards growing fresh produce on the moon. Canadensys Aerospace has received funding from the Canadian and German space agencies to develop a lunar greenhouse that can provide light, nutrients, and monitoring systems for plant growth.
The project aims to overcome the challenges of lunar surface conditions, which include extreme temperatures and lack of atmosphere. Researchers at the University of Guelph have been testing barley and oat plants in simulated moon conditions, with success. The plants survived a night-time temperature drop to low single digits Celsius and grew successfully under half-pressured atmospheric conditions.
The goal is to create a system that can be used for both lunar missions and Earth-based farming. This could help address food insecurity in remote communities and reduce Canada’s reliance on food imports. A hydroponic system with water reuse capabilities will be essential, as well as autonomous robotic systems to maintain the greenhouse’s operations remotely.
According to experts, solving this problem is crucial for long-term human space exploration, particularly for missions to Mars. Fresh produce grown in space can provide psychological benefits for astronauts and contribute to life-support systems.
The project marks a significant step forward in Canada’s participation in NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to send the first crewed mission to the moon since 1972. With this initiative, Canadensys Aerospace is contributing to the development of technologies that can be applied on Earth to address food insecurity and improve agricultural practices.
Source: https://thelogic.co/news/canadensys-moon-greenhouse-nasa-artemis