Most of us struggle to keep a basil plant alive — but scientists are now trying to grow mushrooms in space. A new experiment, Mission MushVroom, is testing whether oyster mushrooms can fruit in microgravity. If it works, it could change what astronauts eat — and how we grow food on Earth.
Led by space nutritionist and FOODiQ Global CEO Dr. Flávia Fayet-Moore, Mission MushVroom is part of SpaceX's Fram2 mission and aims to explore mushrooms as a viable space crop. The team prepared colonized substrate blocks and mycelium tubes to observe how oyster mushrooms colonize and potentially fruit in space.
"Edible mushrooms like oyster offer unique agricultural applications and nutritional benefits—making them the perfect space crop," said Fayet-Moore. "They grow rapidly in small spaces, need minimal resources like water, and don't require sunlight to grow. Plus, they're fully edible and help close the loop in plant agriculture."
Unlike many Earth-bound crops, mushrooms fit the "grow, pick, and eat." model—ideal for space missions without cooking facilities. They're also a nutritional powerhouse, providing B vitamins, selenium, copper, and even an umami flavor that holds up well in space. Remarkably, mushrooms are the only non-animal food that can produce vitamin D—making them especially valuable for astronauts.
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