some_text
  • Home
  • Services
  • Our Team
  • Reviews
  • Our Successes
  • News
  • Links
  • Board Evaluation
  • Contact

Process converts human waste to astronaut food

February 05, 2018
by Stephen Kimbell
Comments are off

Astronauts make sacrifices to go into space. For long missions that are envisaged for the future — such as the months-long trip to Mars — the problem of bringing enough food or growing it en route is a concern to mission planners.

The Penn State team believes they might have found a solution: converting solid waste into edible biomass. The process uses anaerobic digestion, which is already widely used. The research leader, Christopher House (a geoscientist), commented: “Anaerobic digestion is something we use frequently on Earth for treating waste,” said House. “It’s an efficient way of getting mass treated and recycled. What was novel about our work was taking the nutrients out of that stream and intentionally putting them into a microbial reactor to grow food. The concept would be a little bit like Marmite or Vegemite where you’re eating a smear of ‘microbial goo.’”

The process is faster than conventional waste treatment, converting 49-59 per cent of solids in 13 hours. “That’s why this might have potential for future space flight,” House said. “It’s faster than growing tomatoes or potatoes.”

Nobody said space travel was going to be glamorous.

Read the complete article published by The Engineer, 5 February 2018

About the Author
Stephen Kimbell is a specialist in business strategy and deal doing. He is an investor, an entrepreneur and an experienced non-executive director. During his many years in the corporate finance world, as a lawyer, a company director and as an academic, Stephen has helped numerous companies achieve success.
Share This Article
  • google-share

Filter News By Month

services services

Useful Links

LinkedIn Twitter Newsletter Archive

Useful Links

  • Our Services
  • Our Team
  • Our Successes
  • Reviews

Contact Details

Greenspire Advisors Limited
Pevers Lane
Weston Underwood
MK46 5JT

Telephone:  01234 714924
Click here to email us

Registered in England No: 6182920
Vat Registration No: 910 0605 81

© 2013 Greenspire Advisors. All rights reserved | Web Design Northampton By Brothers Creative
Terms and Conditions | Privacy policy