Australian food and nutrition science company, FOODiQ Global, is gearing up for ‘Mission MushVroom’, a first-time attempt to grow mushrooms in space. The experiment will take place on the upcoming Fram2 mission, targeted to launch aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket this week.
Food and nutrition are a key challenge for exploration missions, with NASA ranking it as the 11th Civil Space Shortfall priority out of more than 180. Mission MushVroom will have astronauts monitor how oyster mushrooms grow in microgravity, aiming to prove their viability as a sustainable food source for long-duration space missions.
Leading the experiment is FOODiQ Global CEO, Dr Flávia Fayet-Moore, a renowned space nutritionist who said mushrooms are the perfect space crop.
“Oyster mushrooms rapidly grow in small spaces, doubling in size daily, and are packed with a rich nutrient profile. Uniquely, they produce 100 per cent of astronauts’ daily dose of vitamin D when exposed to UV light, potentially replacing one of the key supplements currently given to them on the International Space Station,” said Fayet-Moore.
“In space, food often tastes bland due to altered taste perception and the need for a low-sodium diet to help counteract the negative effects of microgravity on bone health. Mushrooms are rich in umami flavour, being one of the only tastes that remains strong in space.
“Oyster mushrooms are also highly resilient, scalable, and capable of growing using 100% of the inedible plant waste, and even cotton t-shirts in their growth medium. Space food research has already revolutionised our global food supply and will continue to help feed a growing global population of 10 billion by 2050,” she said.
The mushrooms will be provided by Australian biotechnology company, lifecykel, known for its work in sustainable fungi cultivation.
Australian polar adventurer and guide, Eric Philips, will lead the experiment in space, becoming the first person to fly to orbit under the Australian flag.
“The research team will prepare the oyster mushroom substrate block with pins, and I will monitor how the fruiting bodies grow, documenting development rate, signs of contamination, and various other properties,” said Phillips.
“As an advocate for exploration, this is an exciting opportunity to push the boundaries and play a role in creating sustainable food solutions for space – something I never imagined I would explore!”
Mission MushVroom co-investigator, Ralph Fritsche, has experience as NASA's former space crop production/exploration food systems project manager and lead subject matter expert for NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge, which had an Australian team make the finals last year.
“Successfully growing edible mushrooms in space represents a significant milestone for space exploration and sustainable nutrition,” says Fritsche.
“Mission MushVroom plays a crucial role in advancing sustainable space food production for long- duration missions – such as journeys to Mars – and offers valuable insights that can enhance global food security here on Earth. It really is groundbreaking.”
Launching from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Fram 2 is the first human spaceflight to orbit Earth's polar regions. The three-day mission features a four-person crew that will conduct various research experiments to push the boundaries of exploration of Earth and space.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch was initially scheduled for 31 March, but was scrubbed due to conditions. The next viable launch window is early morning 2 April (AEDT).
