Solar Foods Joins Deep Space Food Consortium, Pitching Solein as a Way to Recover Water in Orbit

Finnish company Solar Foods has joined the Deep Space Food Consortium (DSFC), a group established by NASA and CSA to address food challenges in space exploration. Solar Foods produces Solein, a protein grown through gas fermentation, which can recover water and produce food onboard space stations by utilizing vented gases. The company aims to integrate its technology with life support systems on commercial space stations and future habitats on the Moon and Mars.

Solar Foods has partnered with German company OHB System AG to develop a gas fermentation pilot for zero-gravity operation and plans to test it aboard the International Space Station. The company sees space as a challenging test environment that can also help develop resilient food systems on Earth. The DSFC recognizes the importance of food in space missions, and Solar Foods' innovative approaches aim to contribute to the development of sustainable and resilient food systems for the future of humanity in space.