Space farming is becoming a reality

Added on 09 July 2024

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Large-scale space farming is preparing for lift-off thanks to the development of a new facility that will enable plant growth on the International Space Station (ISS). But are space farming pioneers ready to reap the commercial rewards?

Plant growth chambers, such as NASA’s ‘Veggie’, have already demonstrated the potential for crop cultivation in outer space. Led by Vertical Future, the new facility will have autonomous systems for remote or AI-controlled operation and aims to make large-scale crop cultivation commercially viable. However, financial, gravitational and jurisdictional challenges will have to be overcome.