Fungi Protein Heading to Space Station Aboard SpaceX to Test Viability as Astronaut Food – The Spoon

Back in 2012, researchers exploring the thermal springs of Yellowstone National Park happened upon a hearty new microbe called Fusarium strain flavolapis. Having survived the acidic volcano springs of Yellowstone meant the microbe, a fungus, might just survive in a challenging environment like outer space.

That was the theory, but researchers will soon know how Fusarium flavolapis performs 254 miles above earth as the fungi heads to the International Space Station aboard SpaceXs 25th cargo mission for NASA on Friday, June 10th. The fungi will go to space as part of NASAs EPSCoR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research), under a project where Montana State University, BioServe Space Technologies,and a startup called Natures Fynd will test how it performs and see if it could be used as a source of food for astronauts.

The fungi, now better known by its commercial name of Fy, was initially isolated by Dr. Mark Kozubal under a research program funded by NASA and the National Science Foundation. Kozubal would go on to found Natures Fynd as part of an effort to commercialize Fy as a complete protein that could be used in plant-based meat and dairy substitutes. Earlier this year, Fy made its way to market as part of a series of consumer products that includes meatless breakfast sausage and dairy-free cream cheese

As Natures Fynd worked to develop Fy into new consumer-facing products, the company continued to work with NASA under their Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program, which had opened a call for microbial biomanufacturing technologies in space. Natures Fynd worked with researchers from Montana State University to build a bioreactor prototype that could grow FY in microgravity environments like the International Space Station (ISS). And earlier this year, Natures Fynd, MSU, and Bioserve Space Technology, a Center within the University of Colorado Bouldertechnologies, received a grant under NASAs EPSCoR to test the bioreactor in space.

One of the reasons Fy is so attractive as a potential food source for astronauts is its a source of complete protein, meaning it has all nine of the necessary amino acids humans need as part of their diet. Its also a source of net new protein, meaning unlike pea or animal protein it isnt simply a protein thats been converted from one source to another. In space, efficiency is the name of the game, and Fys ability to create protein without an intermediary makes it a promising new candidate to feed long-term space travelers. Starting this Friday, researchers will soon know whether Fy will live up to that promise.

This project is one of many being funded by NASA as part of its effort to develop sources of food for long-term space travel. Earlier this year, the space agency announced $1 million in prize money for Phase 2 of its Deep Space Food Challenge, a NASA Centennial challenge that aims to foster innovation around sustainable food production technologies or systems that require minimal resources and produce minimal waste. The space agency has also experimented with baking cookies and printing pizzas in microgravity environments.

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Fungi Protein Heading to Space Station Aboard SpaceX to Test Viability as Astronaut Food - The Spoon