Can Astronauts Really Eat… This?



What will astronauts EAT on missions to Mars? It’s a 3-year mission!
Turns out, there are lots of ideas. It’s estimated that a six-person crew would require 10,000 kilograms or 22,000 lbs of food. That’s almost the size of two elephants. Enter scientist Robert Jinkerson. His idea is to grow plants in space… in the dark.

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37 thoughts on “Can Astronauts Really Eat… This?”

  1. Why don't they send robots? I always wonder this. We risk human lives in situations like space travel and war, but a small anti personnel drone can take out specific targets while minimizing casualties, or take samples, build structures, record data, set up satellites deployed to space. While our technology of diplomacy with the vacuum of space is so primitive, why are we risking peoples lives to take pictures, gather samples, and make recordings? We haven't even built the first self sustaining atmosphere and habitation unit for space travel. The risks seem to far out weigh anything more than "cool factor" when it comes to humans traveling to mars, or the moon.

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  2. I don't think farming in space ships is a sustainable idea. Need too much effort and resources to manage. Also, the harvest doesn't guarantee exactly 100% success.

    I think we should established checkpoints of supply depots along the way before making a voyage.

    Or… sailing YOLO Colombus Style with whatever supply we can jammed inside.

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  3. Rotational gravity, UV lights, solid state batteries, solar panels, nuclear reactor, regular farm, freezer. All of this we have now. Nothing new needs to be invented. Problem solved. Now stop making excuses for why it’s taking so long.

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