Astronauts embarking on future missions to the Moon or Mars could survive on a new food composed of “thin air” and urine, the European Space Agency has announced. The protein powder, known as Solein, was cooked up by Finnish startup Solar Food and requires little more than water, air, and electricity to manufacture. Urine is also added to the mixture to act as a nitrogen source for protein synthesis. “This project aims at developing a key resource which will allow us to improve human spaceflight’s autonomy, resilience, and also the well-being of our astronauts,” said ESA’s chief exploration scientist, Anqelique Van Ombergen. “For human beings to be able to implement long-duration missions on the Moon, or even one day, to go to Mars, will require innovative and sustainable solutions to be able to survive with limited supplies. With this project, the ESA is developing a key capability for the future of space exploration.” A pilot program for the protein powder is expected to be trialed on board the International Space Station in the near future, with Solein expected to be standard-issue astronaut food by 2035.
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