Eating in space: zero gravity salads and moon mushrooms of the (Italian) start -up that revolutionizes cultivation in extreme environments

I thought the most sophisticated thing from eating in space If it were a liophylized food tube or an energy bar with the (vague) flavor of curry chicken, but I discovered that The future promises to be much tastier. Soon the astronauts could bite a fresh salad or fugons grown directly in orbitat a centimeter zero, if you can say so. Not bad for those traveling at 28,000 km/h above our heads. And behind this revolution there is an Italian who knows something about space: Franco Malerbathe first Italian astronaut.

Who is Franco Malerba?

In case you do not have a poster by Shuttle Atlantis in the room (bad!), Here is a fast review. Franco Malerba He was the first Italian to fly in space in 1992, aboard the Shuttle Atlantis, for the STS-46 mission. Graduated in Engineering and Physics, with a past also in politics and scientific dissemination, today he has decided that his contribution to the cosmos is not over: he is working to revolutionize the way the astronauts feed on and for futuristic permanent spatial crops.

A startup for space food

Malerba founded Space Va startup born from the encounter between the aerospace know-how and an innovative idea: Create adaptive greenhouses to grow plants in space. The idea was born almost by chance, while Malerba worked as a coach for startups financed by the European Commission. The meeting with the engineer Marco Ghiomind behind the patent of the adaptive greenhouse, he did the rest. Ghio had designed a system to optimize the space in the Genoese basil greenhouses (Galeotto was the pesto), but Malerba saw beyond: “There is a hunger for space in space” – he really said like this, and he also laughed on us, but let’s go back serious – “The volume is precious and our technology can maximize it”.

How does the space greenhouse work?

Forget the traditional greenhouses. The system patented by Space V doubles the surrender plants compared to conventional structures thanks to mobile shelves that adapt to the growth of crops. The advantage? More plants in less space, less waste of energy, less water consumption and nutrients. All in a controlled and optimized environment.

The technology immediately caught the attention of Thales Alenia Spacegiant of the aerospace, and of theESA Business Incubation Centerthe incubator of the European Space Agency at the Polytechnic of Turin. “We were admitted with six other or seven Italian startups,” says Malerba. Then an investment of the fund also came Galaxiasupported by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, Cdp Venture Capital, which has made it possible to build a first prototype exposed to the recent International Astronautical Congress of Milan.

A prototype of the adaptive greenhouses of Space V

From the spatial flight prototype

The next goal is the International Space Station (ISS). Space V has already won a announcement of theItalian Space Agency (ASI) To test the system in orbit. But even if there is technology, this is not a simple step: space has rigid rules and each object intended on the fly must be certified for safety and reliability. “Our prototype weighs about 80 kg, we must reduce the weight and ensure that the station’s environment does not pollute,” explains Malerba. But the future is clear: The space greenhouses will become the norm in future commercial orbital stations, those that private companies such as Axiom and Blue Origin They are already planning.

Lunar salad and star menu

And after the orbital stations? There Moon. The Artemis della NASA program includes permanent stations on our satellite, and Italy will be the protagonist with a living form developed by ASI. In this scenario, cultivating fresh food will no longer be just a luxury, but a necessity for the survival of astronauts.

And then there is space tourism. In ten years, future private stations could also compete on the menus on board. “Like today, planes boast star chefs, tomorrow the space stations could stand out for the best fresh food,” he jokes Malerba. “An excellent salad could become an indispensable luxury for those who pay millions of dollars for a journey through the stars.”

Larger adaptive greenhouse prototype

Psychology and well -being: the therapeutic power of green in space

In addition to nutrition, plants have an important psychological impact. Astronauts, isolated for months in space, could benefit from the presence of a small green corner, of something alive. “In the 90s, during my flight on Shuttle Atlantis, a fresh apple was an indescribable joy,” recalls Malerba. “It was to serve for a scientific experiment, but once the scientific task has been exhausted, it was magnificent to be able to bite something solid”.

On the other hand, the comparison with the standard food of astronauts is not exactly fair: “Everything was reduced to a kind of sauce, because it could not make crumbs or drops”, says Malerba. Practically, they ate space sling. I thought of this because Malerba by Gentleman said: “To be kind I could call them some Scotti risotto”. Now I understand why the idea of ​​having on board the rocket, radicchio or even mushrooms is a very tempting perspective for its colleagues.

But the benefits are not limited to nutrition or taste. “A recent study highlighted that astronauts suffer from a sort of” terrestrial alienation “, a psychological distance from their origin of origin. Plants could help them feel closer to the earth,” explains Malerba.

Terrestrial applications: greenhouses in deserts and submarines

Space V is already looking at the terrestrial applications of its technology. Adaptive greenhouses could be useful in deserts, military bases, submarinsthe And in places where to grow fresh food is complicated. “Countries such as the Arab Emirates or Saudi Arabia could adopt our technology to make agricultural production in extreme environments more sustainable,” says Malerba.

Waiting for the flight in space, the Space V greenhouse will be exposed to EuroFlorathe large florovivaistic fair of Genoa. “It is not a space event, but it is a great showcase for our project,” says Malerba. “Showing how spatial technology can improve life on earth is part of our mission”.

The future of space food has already started. And, if everything goes as expected, in a few years the astronauts will be able to enjoy a salad cultivated in orbit. Or maybe, a lunar pesto with basil cultivated with zero gravity. And who knows, maybe one day a stellar carbonara will also arrive (without cream, hopefully).