Samples from asteroid Ryugu
Future missions to space may pave the way for astronauts to consume a diet derived from bacteria cultivated using ground-up asteroids, potentially creating a milkshake or yogurt-like food.
Currently, astronauts aboard the International Space Station have experimented with growing fresh produce; however, the majority of their food is shipped from Earth. As space exploration advances toward longer missions, this reliance on Earth-supplied food is impractical. Researchers have started investigating the feasibility of using bacteria to convert carbon-rich compounds from asteroids into edible nutrition.
While the team has yet to experiment with actual asteroids, they have conducted similar studies utilizing bacteria to decompose plastics from military ration packs. By employing a process called pyrolysis—heating materials without oxygen—they analyzed how well bacteria could break down the plastics into usable nutrients.
“When we examine the byproducts of pyrolysis that are suitable for bacterial consumption, they correlate fairly well with what we find in asteroids,” noted a researcher involved in the study. “This approach shows promising potential.”
The resulting bacterial cultures resemble a “caramel milkshake,” and the team has also trialed drying these cultures to create yogurt-like or powdered food options.
Although the concept might seem unappetizing, preliminary nutritional assessments reveal that this bacterial concoction could offer nearly optimal nourishment, comprising a balanced ratio of protein, carbs, and fats.
Should the methodology prove effective, a 500-meter-wide asteroid akin to Bennu, which was explored in 2020, could sustain between 600 and 17,000 astronauts for an entire year, depending on the bacteria’s efficiency in digesting asteroid materials.
Implementing a full-scale asteroid food production project would necessitate a large-scale production facility in space. Researchers aim to initiate preliminary tests over the next year, beginning with coal and, subsequently, meteorites that have fallen to Earth—as they work on an actionable research proposal.
Experts agree there is significant potential for this innovative idea. However, they emphasize that substantial development is required to harness these methods effectively. The feasibility of utilizing carbon compounds from asteroids hinges on their compatibility with bacterial processes, suggesting that the final results could vary based on the materials available.
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