Vancouver-based Maia Farms and Ecoation have bagged the grand prize from the Canadian Space Agency and Impact Canada in the Deep Space Food Challenge with a growing system for mycelium and fresh produce capable of producing 700kg of fresh food a year in a device the size of a wardrobe.
Launched in 2021 by NASA and the Canadian Space Agency the Deep Space Food Challenge was designed to identify tech that can:
- Help fill food gaps for a crew of four astronauts for three years with no resupply
- Improve the accessibility of food on Earth in urban centers or extreme environments
- Achieve the greatest amount of food with minimal inputs and waste
- Create a variety of palatable, nutritious, safe foods requiring minimal processing time
NASA and CSA are running parallel challenges, each with their own rules, prizes and eligibility. The US winner of the challenge will be announced in August.
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