As humanity explores long-term space travel, a pressing question remains: how will astronauts survive during these lengthy journeys? Growing food in space presents numerous challenges, however, a new study has proposed an unusual solution — using asteroids as a source of nutrition.
Published in The International Journal of Astrobiology, scientists have suggested that asteroids might offer a new way for astronauts to stay nourished in space. As reported by The New York Times, the idea isn’t for astronauts to eat rocks directly. Instead, the concept involves breaking down asteroids into a form that could sustain human life, using a mix of chemical and physical processes. These processes would turn asteroid fragments into a kind of slurry, which would then be fed to specially selected bacteria.
The bacteria would transform the asteroid slurry into “biomass,” a potentially edible substance. While this method could, in theory, sustain future astronauts, the prospect of consuming asteroid-derived biomass may leave space travelers “pleading for a burger instead.” This humorous take highlights both the potential and the possible discomfort of such a solution.
The team was inspired by a similar effort by the US Department of Defense, which explored ways to recycle plastic containers from military rations into edible food. In that process, plastic is broken down into gas and oil through pyrolysis. The oil is then fed to bacteria within a bioreactor, where it is converted into a form of nutritional biomass.
In much the same way, the scientists involved in this study are exploring how to recycle carbon-rich material found in asteroids, like Bennu, and turn it into something resembling food.
“If we just feed microbes fresh, pristine meteorite, what would happen?” wondered Annemiek Waajen, a postdoctoral researcher from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
Despite the exciting potential, many hurdles remain. For example, it’s unclear whether the resulting biomass would be safe for consumption or if it might be toxic. Additionally, researchers are still far from figuring out how to mine asteroids efficiently.
Waajen acknowledged the challenges, saying, “It is something that’s still a long way away.”
However, the scientific community is eager to continue testing this idea. Joshua Pearce, a coauthor of the study and an engineering professor at Western University in Ontario stated, “I already promised I’ll be the first one to take a bite. If I survive, we can move on to grad students.”