NASA Selects Food System for 15 Astronauts on Mars

28 September 2026, 06:51·30·Technology

NASA has announced the results of the Deep Space Food Challenge: Mars to Table competition, aimed at creating a comprehensive food system for future Mars expeditions. According to ixbt.com, this project serves as a crucial foundation for providing long-term sustainable food for 15 astronauts heading to the Red Planet. This is reported by Ixbt.com news.

The competition requirements were strict, requiring participants to design infrastructure capable of providing a 15-person crew with food for 500 Mars sols, or approximately 513 Earth days. A total of 113 applications were received from 33 countries and 28 U.S. states, with 5 winners sharing a $650,000 prize pool.

Adaptive Nourishment Infrastructure wins

Chinyer Ukeje from Philadelphia took first place, receiving a $300,000 prize. Her concept, called Adaptive Nourishment Infrastructure (ANI), stood out from other projects due to its comprehensive approach.

The ANI concept includes several advanced areas:

Controlled environment agriculture
Fermentation processes and mushroom cultivation
Closed-loop nutrient recycling using bioreactors
Producing 50% of the diet on-site with minimal use of Earth resources

Second place went to the California-based company Cislune, which won $200,000. Their Fresh, Ferment, Reserve system involves cultivating specific cultures, converting part of the harvest into standard products, and using Earth reserves for emergencies. Three other teams were also awarded $50,000 each for their individual achievements.

The importance of growing food for Mars missions

Currently, food sent to the International Space Station is prepared and packaged on Earth. However, this approach is extremely complex for a Mars mission, as a one-way flight takes at least 9 months, and storing ready-made food supplies creates weight and shelf-life problems.

Therefore, NASA views producing a portion of the diet directly in space and on-site as an integral part of the infrastructure for future long-term interplanetary flights. The Mars to Table competition was a logical continuation of the program held between 2021 and 2024.