NASA Study to Analyze Fermented Food Samples from Space
Some nutrients essential to human health do not have the shelf life needed to cover multi-year missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond. NASA’s BioNutrients-3 is part of a series of experiments testing ways to use microorganisms to produce these nutrients in space and on demand.
The on-demand nature of this experience is similar to how nutrient-dense fermented foods are made on Earth, such as how milk is turned into yogurt by good bacteria. But in this case, the focus is on producing specific types and quantities of nutrients essential for future space explorers.
BioNutrients-3 samples, along with other valuable experiments, are expected to return from the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft supporting the company’s 33rd commercial resupply mission for NASA. The spacecraft is scheduled to leave the space station on Thursday, February 26, for its return to Earth. Watch NASA’s live coverage of the undocking and departure starting at 11:45 a.m. EST on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel.
Once the samples return to Earth, the science team at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley will perform analysis procedures. The results of this study can help NASA develop methods to produce essential nutrients that could support human exploration of deep space as part of NASA’s Artemis campaign.
NASA’s BioNutrients-3 is part of the Synthetic Biology Project, funded by the Game Changing Development program of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate.
