Spazio 2050 n. 10 - ENG - Menus for the Stars

Menus for the stars

From space tomatoes to superfoods, healthy eating with zero impact: how future astronauts will eat on the Moon and Mars

SPACE FOR LIFE

WE BELIEVE IN SPACE AS HUMANKIND’S NEW HORIZON TO BUILD A BETTER, SUSTAINABLE LIFE ON EARTH

in space with Paolo Nespoli by Manuela Proietti

Serena Perilli and Serena Pezzilli

Mario Benassai, Paolo Cergna and Liliana Ravagnolo

stelli

Silvia Massa and Riccardo Pagliarello

gourmets

Stefano Polato, the astronauts' chef by Giulia Bonelli

Future Moon bases will have a circular economy by Giuseppina Pulcrano

a close look at sMes The Ferrari Farm and electronic cultivation in Space and on Earth by Silvia Ciccarelli

Thales Alenia Space at the forefront in the design of radar-based Earth observation and communications satellites by Editorial Staf

science in orbit and its spin-ofs for everyday life by Sofa Pavanello

Interceptor: new unknown insights on the origins of our Solar System by

role of the Leonardo group companies in the IRIDE PROGRAMME by Editorial Staf

Astronaut’s Journeys

Space food: new frontiers and spin-offs for eating on Earth

by Barbara Negri, Head of Human Flight and Scientifc Experimentation Science and Research Directorate, ASI

Food in space has been a focus of research since the start of operations at the International Space Station (ISS), and represents a major challenge for the future exploration of the Moon and Mars. Scientifc and technological research in nutrition for astronauts is also relevant to life on Earth, because it can trigger a whole series of spin-ofs spanning, as we shall see later, a huge variety of issues.

The International Space Station (ISS) orbits about 400 km from Earth and, with current space transportation systems, is easily reached in under half a day. This means it’s no problem to resupply it with food and water, as well as dealing with waste disposal.

Modern astronauts largely eat pre-packaged food, which is commonly supplied in plastic packaging or cans. They rarely have access to fresh vegetables. The fastest way to eat is to heat the food in a microwave and rehydrate it. The astronaut's diet is quite varied, very similar to what we normally fnd on Earth: three meals a day, plus snacks, for an average daily intake of 2,500 calories, including carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins.

In recent years, science has become increasingly aware of the decisive role played by intestinal microbiota in human health, which perform physiological, metabolic and immunological functions that are crucial for maintaining physical and mental well-being. A healthy microbiota consists of a variety of species of microbes (biodiversity), in balanced proportions, but with a prevalence of organisms benefcial to human health.

The microbiota therefore plays an important role in maintaining a person's health, but it changes in relation to the food supplied to it, as well as under stress. We know that the longer an astronaut stays in orbit, the greater the impact on the body, particularly the immune system, both during the mission and once back on Earth. It has also been shown that eating particular foods in space and a properly organised diet can compensate, at least in part, for the imbalances that the body may sufer.

In recent years, astronauts have had the opportunity to grow plants on the ISS, including lettuce and courgettes, in a controlled environment.

The Vegetable Production System (Veggie), used for growing salad ingredients, became operational on the ISS in 2015. This is one of the few sources of fresh food available on the Space Station. Indoor growing technologies are making great strides, and experiments on food in space have been conducted for some time now. Growing plants enables astronauts to study the efects of microgravity on plant growth and use growing chambers for food production in space, like the mini-fridge sized Advanced Plant Habitat (APH), designed for plant physiology studies to identify the best conditions for growing certain types of plant.

Like astronauts, plants are subjected to specifc environmental stresses in space that they do not experience on Earth, including microgravity, ionising radiation and oxidative stress; however, plants are better adapted to potentially hostile conditions.

The vegetables of most interest for cultivation in space are microgreens, micro vegetables that are harvested before they are fully grown, with a much richer content of nutrients and protective elements than vegetables on Earth. This is a new category of vegetables with a high nutraceutical

value, including cabbage, rocket, spinach and broccoli, all characterised by a very short growing cycle, so that they can be harvested one to three weeks after sowing.

Human missions to the Moon and Mars

A permanent outpost on the Moon and Mars will have to be sustainable in terms of essential resources; food and water will be precious commodities. In this context, it is equally important that the food remains unaltered for the duration of the missions and that its packaging can keep it intact for long periods.

Future space missions, with long stays on orbital platforms far away from Earth or in colonies on the Moon or Mars, will be dependent on the ability to create artifcial ecosystems, in which plants will play a central biological role: life-supporting bio-regenerative systems for environmental regeneration (particularly air and water) and food.

One of the main objectives of research into space exploration is to fnd out whether it will be possible to cultivate food in Lunar soil, but there is already some favourable evidence: the frst 'lunar' plants have been grown, Arabidopsis seedlings grown on samples of Lunar soil from the Apollo 11, 12 and 17 missions.

We know that plants colonised Earth long before humans did, and their life cycles have modifed the Earth's environment in such a way that increasingly complex biological systems evolved, including human beings. The Earth's atmosphere did not initially contain any of the gases now present, but was composed of hydrogen, water vapour, methane and other gases, and it was only after millions of years of transformation and the evolution of living organisms, primarily plant cells producing oxygen, that the environment became able to accommodate human beings and allow us to live.

Installing greenhouses with autonomous, computerised systems on the Moon or Mars will be an important part of future human exploration missions. In the future, plants will play a signifcant role in long-term missions, providing food, producing oxygen, removing CO2 and purifying water.

On future bases and space stations, advanced automated cultivation systems will ensure a supply of fresh, nutritious food for astronauts engaged in longterm missions. Hydroponic and aeroponic techniques will be used to grow plants without the need for soil but rather by recycling nutrients, which could make large-scale production in fexible spaces possible.

We know that an astronaut consumes 5 kg/day of supplies to support their metabolism, as follows: 1 kg of oxygen, 1 kg of dehydrated food, and 3 kg of water for

drinking and to rehydrate the dried food. This means that for missions to Mars, which will last at least two years, each astronaut will require 2700 kg of food and 2400 litres of water.

Given these numbers, we will not be able to take along all the rations the astronauts will require, and we will have to fnd a way to produce their food. Growing plants in space will be key to long-term space missions; in fact, food grown in space could provide a quarter or even half the daily ration needed by an astronaut.  For missions beyond low Earth orbit, which also involve long stays in hostile environments, food will also be of great importance - not only in terms of nutrition, but especially in terms of comfort food, with benefts for the astronaut's mental health and mood. It will also help make astronauts feel closer to home!

Growing plants on the ISS.

Credits: ESA/ NASA

Spin-offs for Earth

Future space missions beyond low Earth orbit require the development of technologies for food production, packaging and storage, and the disposal of the consequent waste. The ability to produce food in situ will be critical to making astronauts self-sufcient during extraterrestrial missions. The ultimate goal of space agriculture is to make future permanent outposts on the Moon and Mars self-sufcient in terms of food and water, which are essential resources for human survival in these extreme environments.

Research into growing plants in space, together with new technologies for bio-regenerative systems,

also promise to make agriculture more sustainable on Earth. This means that more efcient, water- and energy-saving agriculture can also be implemented on Earth, along with the development of space-saving, energy-efcient greenhouse technologies. Further benefts from space research include the improvement of indoor cultivation systems in controlled environments, the development of technologies for monitoring the performance of plant species under stress, and the formulation of innovative (healthy, stable and sustainable) foods which will be of great value in projected climate change scenarios.

Due to the now very clear negative efects of climate change, the drought- and food-struck areas of our planet - which will no longer be available for agriculture - are increasing. From our research in space, we will be able to transfer and apply techniques for growing food in extreme environments to crisis areas on Earth, in order to recreate the terrestrial ecosystem under artifcial conditions.

Other important areas for transferring technologies developed in space to Earth include techniques for preserving food for long periods of time in a sustainable way, and efcient recycling systems for biological waste.

Human health on Earth will also beneft from the human exploration of space.

The extreme conditions in space (microgravity, radiation, isolation and confnement) have deleterious efects on human psycho-physical health. The identifcation of nutraceutical foods and supplements with regenerative and protective powers for astronauts is therefore crucial. Such products must not only provide the nutrients needed to maintain physical health, but must also provide high sensory satisfaction and have positive efects on astronauts' hormonal and psychological balance.

The frst Moon plants: Arabidopsis seedlings grown on samples of Lunar soil from the Apollo 11, 12 and 17 missions.

Knowledge of nutritional measures for protecting astronauts on space missions will enable us to identify custom diets for treating a range of diseases on Earth. In particular, we will be able to develop natural therapies for combating ageing and oxidative stress, which can lead to degenerative diseases, and diets that include functional meals with benefcial efects on the patient's physical and psychological health on Earth will also become available.

Food matrices with a high nutritional content will be developed for space food, which may be very valuable in combating hunger in the underdeveloped areas of Earth, or of use in the extreme conditions of war and famine, where nutritious food is hard to come by. Edible plant varieties which have been selected in space for their higher crop yields, better nutritional profles and resistance to disease, could be used for this purpose.

Space Delivery: how we send food into space

by Mario Benassai, Science and Technology Communications Advisor, ALTEC S.p.A.

Paolo Cergna, Integrated Logistics Manager, ALTEC S.p.A.

Liliana Ravagnolo, Mission Operations & Training Manager, ALTEC S.p.A.

The history, logistics and future challenges of eating in orbit and beyond

The development of space food systems (Klicka & Smith, 1982; Casaburri & Gardner, 1999; Maillet, 2018, ALTEC 2024)

By now sufciently overused to sound like a cliche’ to those who hear it asked for the umpteenth time, the question "what do astronauts eat?" has no simple answer, not even when framed in a specifc scenario, whether temporal or geographical.

Since the USSR and US selected Yuri Gagarin and Alan Shepard (for the world's frst orbital fight on Vostok and the frst sub-orbital fight on Mercury, respectively) at the turn of the 1960s, the world of space medicine and physiology has changed a great deal, as has that of space nutrition.

One of the frst questions was whether, and how, one could swallow in weightlessness. On closer inspection, a simple experiment would have sufced to confrm this possibility, by having a subject swallow when upside down on Earth. In fact, if something that works normally on Earth (with the gravitational vector pointing downwards) also works upside down (with it pointing upwards), it usually works in zero gravity too... The frst intrepid tests, consisting of swallowing mini food pellets in paste from tubes in orbit, immediately confrmed that it is oesophageal peristalsis that enables us to swallow; gravity, at best, gives a helping hand. From that pioneering phase, through the successive Low Earth OrbitLEO (Salyut, Skylab, Mir, SpaceLab) and lunar (Apollo) missions, through an increasing diversifcation of foods, processing and storage methods, on-board preparation and consumption operations, and - last but not least - logistics, relatively standardised solutions were achieved with the long (and on-going) experience of the International Space Station (ISS).

Logistics is a critical aspect of space missions - and even more so in the case of the monumental ISS. Moving astronauts, experiments, food, water, air, spare parts and other supplies from Earth to the ISS and back is a kind of choreography that, as such, must be executed to perfection.

The process of producing and serving food for the ISS is a long and complex one that includes the defnition and preparation of on-board menus - which must obtain a specifc microbiological and nutritional certifcation -, the selection and verifcation of suppliers for product packaging and labelling and the logistical and operational management of the shipment to the ISS.

The Italian specialist in space logistics is ALTEC, a company based in Turin. ALTEC's expertise focuses on the key aspects of delivery, including labelling, packaging and shipping to the NASA Food Lab in Houston or elsewhere; monitoring the work of the chefs to guarantee the requisites of the ISS; checking the fnished product with laboratory analyses; and providing purpose-built foam boxes to protect the product. Although the food may difer according to the tastes and needs of the astronauts, the packaging - usually cans for Russian astronauts and plastic or aluminium bags otherwise - and the interface for injecting water to rehydrate the freeze-dried products or for the small electric ovens on the ISS, are common to all.

Like all items sent to the ISS, food packed in bags and cans ends up in the Crew Transfer Bags (CTB), Nomex bags with a standard size of 500x425x248 mm, which can accommodate up to 25 kg of mass. Alternatively, Double CTBs with dimensions of 502x425x502 mm and mass up to 30 kg are also available. The interior of the CTBs is made of shock- and vibration-absorbing polymer foam.

Leaving low Earth orbit and heading for the Moon, things obviously become more difcult; while it is true that lunar missions will be shorter in duration than those to the ISS, consideration is nevertheless being given to providing more variety; if we take this into account, we can conclude

that food-related logistics for beyond-LEO missions will play an even more decisive role than today, also due to the increasing internationality of space food systems.

But the daunting complexity of a human mission to Mars - the top strategic ambition of all space agencies - poses innumerable problems on all fronts,

including that of food. For obvious reasons, no resupplies will be possible during the mission. On the other hand, it seems impracticable to send the food required for the complete mission up with the crew: outward fight, stay and return fight, amounting to about three years. We are talking about unthinkable masses, including water - not only for drinking, but also for rehydrating dehydrated food (since the mass of undehydrated food is proportionally greater in any case). Note that we are talking here about water for human consumption only, not considering its use for personal hygiene.

One projected solution would be to send up automated rockets in the years before the astronauts are launched, to prepare the site with tons of material before they arrive, with all the consequent problems of perishability and other contingencies.

This new season of space exploration cannot therefore disregard regenerative and especially bio-regenerative approaches to space and planetary agriculture, requiring the use of in situ resources. In reality, however, the approach will necessarily be a hybrid one, whether for the Moon or Mars, combining carry-along with pre-positioning and in situ production of fresh food. Also under consideration are advanced logistical studies of 3D printing, the use of food as padding to optimise volumes, and the recycling of packaging. The back-to-the-Moon tactics of the various agencies, combined with the advance robotic exploration of Mars, aim to test all these approaches.

ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet and the rest of the International Space Station crew celebrate the 50th birthday of NASA astronaut Megan McArthur. Credits: ESA/ NASA-T. Pesquet

ALTEC - Aerospace Logistics Technology Engineering Company

Speciality foods from the Saarland foating in zero gravity on the International Space Station.

On Saturday, 4 December 2021, ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer shared the favours of his native Saarland region with his crew mates during the St Nicholas dinner in space. Credits: ESA/NASA

ALTEC - Aerospace Logistics Technology Engineering Company, owned approximately 64 per cent by Thales Alenia Space and the remaining 36 per cent by ASI, provides continuous operational, engineering and logistical support to the ISS and other space systems, including astronaut training, mission control, and the reception, storage and processing of big data for astronomical satellites. Since 2007, it has supported the Italian Space Agency in organising ″Italian Dinners″ on the ISS, and since 2015 it has provided consultancy and logistical services to ESA for the Bonus Food offered to the European crew, as well as supplying European food to the China National Space Administration (CNSA) for its Shenzhou mission. Already home to the ROCC (Rover Operation Control Centre for the frst Mars rover of the ESA EXOMARS mission), it is preparing to build and host a similar and even more ambitious National Centre for the Simulation and Control of Lunar Missions on ASI’s behalf.

Growing plants in space: challenges and new developments

Edited by

Stefania

De Pascale Department of Agriculture, University of Naples Federico II

Towards a Bio-regenerative Life Support System (BLSS)

Jessica Watkins and Bob Hines at work on a plant growth system on the ISS.

Credits: NASA

Alberto Battistelli National Research Council, Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems

The main objective of agriculture in space is to support human life. To achieve this, we must thoroughly analyse and understand the biological and technological challenges it involves, for humans and plants alike. These environmental challenges vary in type and intensity, from deep space, beyond the Earth's atmosphere, to celestial bodies such as asteroids, satellites and planets. In each of these contexts, we must create closed environments which are capable of supporting life. Experiments conducted on the International Space Station (ISS) and other space missions have demonstrated the feasibility of cultivating plants, providing valuable scientifc information on the response of plants and the optimisation of cultivation systems, such as capillary substrates and irrigation and nutrition techniques suitable for microgravity. Leafy vegetables like salads have demonstrated good adaptability to microgravity conditions, and are being successfully grown on board the ISS in salad machines. But cereals, dwarf tomatoes, beets, radishes and numerous other food plants have also been grown in space. New goals in the development of enabling technologies now face us.

The scientifc community is focusing on three priorities. First: to produce fresh vegetables on board orbital platforms (today the ISS, tomorrow the Lunar Gateway) and spacecraft heading to new de-

Astronauts

stinations, of sufcient quantity and quality to integrate specifc nutraceutical compounds for the physiological, dietary and psychological needs of astronauts.

Second: to cultivate more energy-dense species, such as cereals, pulses and potatoes, with a view to their use on longer space missions. Last but not least: to develop plants for the Bioregenerative Life Support System (BLSS), to ensure the survival of the crew on future lunar and Martian bases, where plants will play the key role in the regeneration of environmental resources, mainly air and water, including the partial use of local resources.

In fact, the possibility of long-term space missions and human habitation aboard orbital platforms or in space colonies on celestial bodies like the Moon or Mars depends on our ability to regenerate environmental resources and produce food in situ. Regeneration is the solution! Plants, which dominate Earth's biosphere and support human life on Earth,

will be central to the BLSS. The aim is to design an environment that enables plants to best perform the functions that are fundamental to supporting human life in space. The production efciency of plants, the nutritional characteristics of their products, and the rate at which they capture carbon dioxide (CO2) and generate oxygen (O2) through photosynthesis and purifed water through transpiration, can all be modulated by controlling the conditions in which they grow. The target variables are the intensity and spectrum of light and the period during which it is supplied, the partial O2, CO2 and water (H2O) pressures in the atmosphere, together with the growing temperature - all of which can be used to modulate the metabolism of plants and the regenerative fows of a future BLSS. Although space agriculture is not just about nutrition, food plays a crucial role in the well-being and health of astronauts. For example, with the support of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), we have been able to optimise the production of ascorbic acid (vitamin C, a powerful but unstable antioxidant, which is therefore unsuitable for transportation on long space journeys) from fresh vegetables grown on the ISS. A little more than half a square metre of surface area cultivated with micro-vegetables can supply the daily ascorbic acid requirement for a single astronaut. Variables such as the species of plant, mix of light, air temperature and partial CO2 pressure are among the most infuential factors in achieving this. The same approach was taken to optimise the production of other phytochemical compounds, antioxidants and prebiotics, which are important for the psychophysical well-being of astronauts.

Leafy vegetables like salads have demonstrated good adaptability to microgravity conditions, and are being successfully grown on board the ISS in salad machines.

Prebiotics are molecules that nourish the gut microbiome in a way that is benefcial for human health. Chicory has proved suitable for growing under conditions of complete environmental control, and its roots, rich in fructans (which are known prebiotics) have reduced the loss of cognitive ability in artifcially stressed mice. In this case, a larger area is needed to supply the daily requirement for a single astronaut, but further research is underway to improve the productivity of these fundamental plant compounds as well. Space systems capable of performing these functions will be very complex, and they will also involve the use of artifcial intelligence (AI). An AI system can be trained to monitor and modulate the functions of plants and the entire BLSS in real time, in order to match its performance to the changing needs of astronauts. The design of the BLSS will be guided by this new paradigm, and must be able to support the control of environmental variables, plant performance and bio-regenerative fows. These new approaches to space agriculture can also be applied to terrestrial agriculture, to improve its productivity and sustainability.

SPACE V’S ADAPTIVE VERTICAL GREENHOUSE

by Franco Malerba Co-Founder and Business Strategy Manager, Space V, and frst Italian astronaut

To enable astronauts who will be in orbit for long periods, working on the Moon or travelling to Mars, to be more independent of supplies from Earth by maximising utilisation of the limited resources available in situ and adopting new technologies.

This is the mission of Space V, an Italian start-up based in Genoa and Turin, that is designing innovative equipment for growing edible plants in space. The idea behind the project, led by Franco Malerba, Italy's frst astronaut, engineer and former manager for Thales Alenia Space, is to provide future lunar and Martian colonists with an Adaptive Vertical Farm (AVF), i.e. a greenhouse capable of intelligently managing the energy and water resources needed to grow diferent types of plants and vegetables in space.

This greenhouse, with its several growing shelves, progressively adapts the volume available on each shelf according to the growth of the plants, thanks to a mechatronic system that uses artifcial intelligence algorithms to precisely manage and optimise the movement of the shelves in response to the growth of the plants throughout their growth cycle. By choosing the plants and timing their sowing and harvesting appropriately, one can make full use of the entire available volume of the greenhouse. Trials with a terrestrial prototype have demonstrated an up to +135% increase in yield and energy savings of as much as 43% over a conventional vertical greenhouse.

The Adaptive Vertical Farm, a vertical greenhouse capable of managing energy and water resources for growing plants and vegetables in space.

The AVF can be equipped with a micro-conditioning system specifc to each growing shelf by modulating the thermal and hygrometric parameters of each fow of air, so that diferent types of plants can be cultivated at the same time, while still reducing power consumption.

In this second decade of the 21st Century, with proposals for new commercial orbital stations and the Artemis programme for Man's return to the Moon, NASA and its associated Space Agencies need a new generation of Life Support Systems (ECLSS) to ensure healthy conditions and well-being for astronauts by recycling and regenerating every available resource. Growing edible plants in situ provides astronauts with fresh food, essential for their physical and mental health; it can generate oxygen and absorb CO2 from the cabin atmosphere, all to the beneft of the astronauts’ living space.

A new discipline of space engineering is emerging around this demand for ‘space agriculture', requiring new equipment for experimentation in space conditions. Space V's AVF vertical greenhouse (where V stands for Vegetables) is part of this efort. The frst proof of concept will be presented by the end of this year, in the form of a payload for the International Space Station.

LNA

FRESH VEGETABLES IN ORBIT: PROJECTS ON THE ISS

by Giorgio Boscheri

Thales Alenia Space

Space greenhouses will be an enabler for future longterm missions, and Italian industry is playing a leading role in their development and advancement. Space greenhouses have several important roles to play. First of all, they represent a fundamental step towards food self-sufciency. These technologies make it possible to grow plants and vegetables to supplement the crew's diet with fresh food, rich in vitamins and antioxidants. This not only ensures their diet is balanced, but also preserves their health and well-being. Furthermore, greenhouses ofer a sustainable approach to growing food in space. They reduce dependence on food supply missions, as well as reducing the environmental impact of producing and transporting pre-packaged food rations. Plants also produce oxygen through photosynthesis, as well as helping to maintain a life-sustaining atmosphere and recycling the wastewater generated by the crews. The International Space Station is now the preferred laboratory for in-orbit demonstration of cultivation technologies, with a productive demonstrator, developed in the USA for NASA, currently in operation. This is the Veggie, a small greenhouse in a partially controlled environment which is testing the feasibility of growing small edible vegetables like lettuce in space. This is a favourable occasion for Italian industry to leverage its cultural heritage and strong technical and scientifc know-how in order to contribute to the next step, which is to demonstrate the feasibility of growing edible plants and vegetables in orbit in a reliable, quality-controlled manner. To this end, Thales Alenia Space, a leading aerospace company

with several sites in Italy, is providing their expertise and resources for the design and development of advanced space greenhouses, coordinating two projects designed for microgravity conditions. The frst, the PFPU, a project for the European Space Agency, aims to demonstrate reliable production of healthy tubers by implementing innovative technologies to support growth over very long growth cycles, up to as much as 100 days. The second, the MICROx2, is focused on the production of micro-vegetables which ofer the nutritional qualities required for a balanced diet in space. MICROx2 incorporates important innovations for automated product quality control, thus taking the integration of greenhouses with space module life support systems to the next level.

AN INTERpLANETARy GREENHOuSE wITH AuTOmATEd cONTROL

by Giorgia Pontetti Ferrari Farm

A closed, fully computerised, hermetically sealed and sterile hydroponics system, using closed greenhouses lit with both artifcial and natural light, making it possible to grow plants anywhere in the world, from the equator to the pole, even without sunlight and in confned, extreme environments like space.

This is the project being developed by Ferrari Farm, a Lazio company that is combining traditional growing techniques with advanced technology to develop new-generation solutions for growing crops in absolutely sterile conditions, regardless of the external environment.

One special feature of these hydroponic systems is their use of an electronic Cultivation Recipe that automatically encodes, commands and controls all climatic and nutritional parameters for the plants in question: the computerised system controls the cli-

mate and irrigation systems in accordance with the cultivation recipe 24/7 throughout the life of the plants being grown.

In the future, with projected long-term missions to the Moon, Mars and other planets, the ability to cultivate plants directly in space, even when in fight, will be crucial to mission success. The availability of fresh, highly nutritious food will ensure a more varied diet, for a positive impact on the psychological wellbeing of the crews. Vegetables, unlike pre-packaged foods, add vibrant colours, crisp textures and fresh favours to a menu. The result: high quality and kilometre zero production, even in space!

AIR, WATER, FOOD AND RECYCLING: THE KEY ROLE OF PLANTS IN SPACE EXPLORATION

by Sara Piccirillo and Silvia Mari Science and Research Directorate, ASI

Plants, from algae to the higher plants, are an integral part of terrestrial ecosystems, where they are identifed as producing organisms. During the process of chlorophyll photosynthesis they use the sun's energy to produce an organic substance, glucose, from carbon dioxide and water, while releasing oxygen. Producers are therefore fundamental to supporting human life on Earth, but what will happen in future space travel?

In today's human space exploration missions, in low Earth orbit and aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the resources required for life support, primarily oxygen and water, are partly regenerated with chemical-physical systems. Fresh food, on the other hand, is transported on board entirely from the ground. This total dependence on transporting resources from the ground will gradually become more and more untenable in human exploration missions beyond low Earth orbit, because it is technically

Fig. 1. Representation of a Bioregenerative Life Support System

Credits: R. Buonomo

complex and economically too costly. It is therefore very important that we develop systems to regenerate resources (air and water), produce fresh food for the crew, and recycle the waste products of human metabolism, thus making future crews more self-sufcient. These concepts form the basis of Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSSs), artifcial ecosystems which exchange matter and energy between their various compartments: humans, microorganisms and producer organisms. Each compartment uses the waste produced by the metabolism of the other compartments as a resource for its own survival in an ideal cycle. (Fig. 1)

In the producer compartment, plants are the most studied and most promising organisms, due to their 'complementary' relationship with humans. Indeed, with only energy (light) as their input, plants are able to regenerate air with photosynthesis, purify water by means of leaf transpiration, and provide fresh food for

Astronaut Mike Hopkins checks the Pak Choi growing on the ISS. This is part of the Veggie project, an experiment studying agricultural production in microgravity that can help astronauts be more selfsuffcient on longterm missions to the Moon and Mars.

Credits: NASA

the crew. In addition, following biodegradation, the inedible parts of plants, together with the astronauts' waste, can be used to provide nutrients for the next cycle of plant growth. Furthermore, during long stays in space, plants can also alleviate psychological stress, creating an Earth-like environment and ofering the astronaut an opportunity for recreation. (Fig. 2)

However, the development of systems for growing plants on board space platforms must acknowledge the efects that conditions in space have on the physiology of plants and hence on their function as regenerators, as well as on the quantity and nutritional quality of the fresh food they produce.

To this end, the Italian Space Agency (ASI) has over the years coordinated numerous research projects into how microgravity and radiation afect the growth of plant organisms, so as to identify the best growing conditions for space applications.

Some of these projects have been conducted in 'terrestrial' laboratories, using simulation facilities. Of these, BIOxTREME has pioneered research into productive platforms for growing plants in space, using varieties selected both for their ability to grow in extreme environmental conditions and for their nutraceutical content. This includes the HortSpace project, in which a prototype of the HortExtreme Martian vegetable garden was built and tested during the AMADEE-18 simulated Mars mission.

More recently, Italian scientifc and industrial knowhow in the BLSS feld has been further consolidated in the ReBUS project. The ReBUS project focused on the development of a BLSS based on integrating a variety of organisms (higher plants, cyanobacteria and decomposing organisms) in order to minimise the use of exogenous resources, while optimising the use of resources available in situ and recycling the organic matter produced in the system itself.

Research conducted in laboratories on Earth is undoubtedly fundamental, but experiments in space itself, including on the ISS, are crucial to making real progress in the feld. Such experiments include the MULTI-TROP project, which was part of the experimental package for astronaut Paolo Nespoli's VITA mission. The experiment, selected in a competition for high schools and designed together with a group of high school students, had two objectives: 1) to verify the efect of the stimuli exerted by water, nutrients and microgravity on the orientation of root growth, and 2) to stimulate students' interest in space biology.

Initiatives of this kind are part of ASI's mission to promote projects which disseminate space science and contribute to the growth of Italian students and researchers, including through higher education projects. It is in this context that the Italian Pool of MELiSSA PhDs initiative was set up, under which the European Space Agency's (ESA) MELiSSA programme, focused on BLSSs, funded three PhD scholarships.

A new Italian-led experiment, WAPS, the result of an international collaboration selected by ESA, will soon be conducted on board the ISS. WAPS will analyse the efects of microgravity on water transport processes.

In preparation for man's upcoming return to the Moon, however, it will be necessary to consolidate the knowledge acquired so far, harmonise and capitalise on the results obtained, and get new research bodies to work on the issue. To this end, four new BLSS projects selected by ASI’s call for the “Development of projects/experiments for the Moon” will soon be initiated. These include BIOLUNA, which will create a simplifed lunar BLSS model, using an artifcial intelligence algorithm to integrate producers and consumers. BEATRICE will study and prototype of a BLSS using Microbial Fuel Cells, autonomous cultivation systems and In-Situ Resource Utilisation methods. BIOMOON will develop a third-generation biorefnery capable of producing food, energy and chemicals from renewable sources and organic substrates. Finally, REGOLIFE will study the efects of colonising lunar regolith with plants and insects.

ASI’s numerous projects are supported by a large national community. Among the institutions/companies in this national network, we must mention the University of Naples Federico II, the Sapienza University of Rome, the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, the Tor Vergata University of Rome, the University of Pavia, the University Ca' Foscari of Venice, the University of Padua, ENEA, CNR, the Italian National Institute of Health, Thales Alenia Space Italia, Kayser Italia, Telespazio, AIKO and STAM.

MICROx2, Micro-vegetables in microgravity

Thanks to the Italian Space Agency's MICROx2 project, Thales Alenia Space, in collaboration with Kayser Italia, is developing a pioneering greenhouse to cultivate microgreens in microgravity, enabling astronauts to enjoy a fresh supply of food during long-term missions. MICROx2 includes scientifc research into optimal conditions for cultivating microgreens in compliance with the principles of food safety and quality, and at defning the requirements for the growing facility in the conditions of space. These activities form part of an implementing agreement between ASI and the University of Naples Federico II, in collaboration with CNR, ENEA and the Tor Vergata University of Rome.

MICROx2 offers a number of innovative features compared to the facilities currently on board the ISS. The greenhouse is specifcally designed for growing plants with a very short growth cycle. Its modular, fexible design includes an LED system to provide the quality of light required by plants. In addition, specifc irrigation and water recycling solutions have been developed to ensure effcient utilisation of the limited resources in space. Furthermore, thanks to its sophisticated sensors and real-time monitoring systems, it will be control and fne-tune environmental parameters like humidity, temperature and CO2 concentration autonomously in order to assure optimal conditions for plant growth and maximise the production of high-quality micro-algae in space.

by Giorgio Boscheri Thales Alenia Space

FS and the challenge oF aI: we will lead the transformation of mobility

by Editorial Staf

Today more than ever, talking about mobility and infrastructure means, talking about technological innovation. Every area of this sector that is central to the country's growth - roads and trains, stations and mobility hubs, ports and airports - is, in fact, at the centre of continuous and rapid change based precisely on technological innovation. In this context the FS Group aware of its role as a system company, is pursuing a number of strategic initiatives focused on innovation, with a particular eye on artifcial intelligence (AI).

In order to meet the AI challenge in real time, the FS Group is moving in several directions, frst and foremost by strengthening its capabilities to extract value from the vast wealth of data that the organisation has at its disposal and that encompasses every aspect of its operations: from train and timetable information to data related to rail and road infrastructure. This data represents an invaluable resource that can be leveraged to improve operational efciency, develop strategies, optimize infrastructure and train maintenance, and ofer more bespoke services to passengers. It is critical to adopt a holistic strategy for managing

Credits: FS

data, ensuring its quality, security and regulatory compliance, which means investing in accurate and reliable collection and storage, using state-of-the-art technologies to ensure its integrity and protection.

To signifcantly increase the efectiveness of AI adoption, it means having quality, certifed and well-organized data with defned and known sources and ownership, leveraging market platforms where data quality and structure are guaranteed by design. It also means adopting advanced data analytics practices to extract meaningful insights from the vast amounts of information collected, enabling more informed and timely decisions. Considering data as strategic asset, and not just a byproduct of day-to-day activities, is a strategic and crucial step for the Group.

The valuable resource of data can and should be used to drive mobility transformation toward more sustainable and multimodal mobility. A concrete experience brought forward by the FS Group is the advanced sensor technology and data processing algorithms that FS is developing for Digital Twin solutions of major works, for their monitoring and predictive maintenance,

Diamond 2.0 diagnostic train by RFI.

that is capable of preventing an anomaly or failure before they occur. The project, launched and implemented on 83 road bridges at the end of 2023, aims to monitor 1,000 works by 2026.These projects are based on the collection and processing of huge amounts of data, which are increasingly central to the development of the algorithms. In acting in this direction, quality is key: as artifcial intelligence emerges as one of the keys to open the doors of the future, certifed and well-organized data is crucial to be active players in this transformation.

Another area where artifcial intelligence is emerging as a driving force is logistics and rail freight trafc, revolutionizing how operations are managed, monitored and optimized. This cutting-edge technology ofers a number of crucial benefts: from route optimization, transit time reduction, freight fow management to demand forecasting, with signifcant impacts on the efciency and sustainability of the rail logistics system.

A crucial beneft, for FS, is the ability to improve safety and risk management: through advanced monitoring and control systems, AI can detect and prevent

accidents or heightened-risk situations, reducing potential damages and disruption to operations. The FS Group thus aims to become a catalyst for change for the entire country system, leveraging its vast rail and road network in promoting digital development nationally and internationally. Through initiatives such as the "Gigabit Rail and Road" project, which aims to deploy connectivity throughout the country with fber optics along rail lines and by expanding the 5G signal, FS aims to provide high-speed digital infrastructure to support the country's digital transformation.

Moreover, FS is investing in the creation of a data-driven corporate culture, where AI is seen as an opportunity for transformation and growth, while at the same time, strengthening its active participation in research and action initiatives with leading Italian system companies, institutions, organizations, technology parks, and entities in the country, leveraging international expertise and collaborations.

These initiatives range from participation in research projects on High Performance Computing to experimenting with quantum computers, while at the same time developing a series of AI-based projects ranging from improving the daily productivity of staf to creating advanced solutions for infrastructure monitoring and passenger safety. In order to strengthen research in the feld, the Artifcial Intelligence Competence Center was launched. The Center holds resources specialized in data processing and algorithm identifcation/management, supported through ad hoc training.

FS is also an active participant in Europe's Rail Joint Undertaking, a transformational initiative focused on rail research and innovation in Europe, with the aim of realizing an integrated high-capacity European network, removing obstacles to interoperability and providing solutions for full integration, covering trafc management, vehicles, infrastructure and services.

The optimization of scientifc and technological culture on smart systems and artifcial intelligence also passes through the predictive diagnostics of FS’ Diamante 2.0 train, the most advanced diagnostic means in the Italian Rail Network feet. A concentrate of innovation and technology that allows to verify at 300 km/h the operating speed on the lines of the national rail network, through as many as 220 parameters, including those of the contact line at the pantograph where there is power supply. A smart and digital revolution, unique worldwide, as it allows all the elements acquired to be transferred remotely and to intervene even before a fault occurs. This not only optimizes safety but also system economics.

monitoring and control systems

Snacking on seaweed

by Micol Bellucci ASI Science and Research Directorate

Microalgae can easily adapt to extreme conditions

Feeding system with growth medium and microalgae inoculum (Chlorella) of the photobioreactor on the ISS.

Space exploration beyond low Earth orbit and long-term missions require complete autonomy from Earth for the supply of oxygen, fresh water and food. This challenge can only be met by developing innovative bio-regenerative systems (BLSS) that combine the regeneration of oxygen and water with food production, including at least one biological compartment for the production of edible biomass. Although systems for growing higher plants are the most widely used, the integration of

Above: Spirulina. Credits: ASI

Haematococcus pluvialis cultures on board the International Space Station (ISS). H. pluvialis produces a powerful antioxidant, astaxanthin, which would provide a readily available food supplement to promote the health of astronauts on long-term missions in space.

microalgae-based processes is a viable alternative. Growing microalgae in photobioreactors fed with special substrates and/or wastewater has a number of advantages: thanks to photosynthesis, oxygen is obtained and carbon dioxide (CO2) is removed, a continuous source of food with high nutritional properties is made available and, last but not least, water can be recycled and valuable resources recovered from urine, including nitrogen and phosphorus.

Microalgae (cyanobacteria, diatoms and eukaryotic microalgae) are photosynthetic single-celled organisms, 1-100 microns in diameter, ubiquitous in natural and artifcial aquatic environments. Thanks to their highly versatile metabolism, they adapt easily to extreme conditions, such as altered gravity, ionising radiation, and desiccation. There is an enormous diversity of microalgae in nature - 105-106 species - but the most commercially used genera are Chlorella, Spirulina (Arthrospira/ Limnospira), Dunaliella, Haematococcus and Schizochytrium. In space, a number of research and technology development projects, including MELiSSA, BIOS, CyBLiSS and SIMBOX have focused on Spirulina, Chlorella, Euglena, Chroococcidiopsis, Synechocystis and Synechococcus, and their potential for regenerating air and producing food. The creation and deployment on the International Space Station of innovative photobioreactors, such as Artemiss and PBR@LSR, has enabled Spirulina and Chlorella to be grown in microgravity conditions for extended periods (2-4 weeks), resulting in valuable data about their growth rates and conditions for cultivation. These experiments, combined with progress in microalgae research in other felds, have shown that the edible biomass production of microalgae is higher than that of higher plants, as they require less area/volume for their cultivation, can be harvested continuously and are completely edible.

Microalgae are known for their high nutritional power, thanks to the nutrients they contain, and they also contain bioactive compounds with valuable functional properties. The microalgal biomass is characterised by carbohydrates (8-20%), proteins (40-60%) and lipids (5-24%), essential vitamins, including A, C, B1, B3 and B12, and pigments, the content of which is species-dependent and varies in relation to their growing conditions. These characteristics make them extremely valuable to the food, nutraceutical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, as well as for space applications. It has been estimated that eating Chlorella vulgaris would satisfy the daily calorie and macronutrient requirements of an astronaut (3,000 ± 150 kcal, of which about 12-15% come from proteins, 50-55% from carbohydrates and 30-35% from fats), while including Spirulina in the crew's diet would provide an alternative source of protein, iron, y-linolenic acid, vitamins (B12) and phyto-pigments, as well as providing anti-infammatory and antioxidant functions critical to counteracting the pathologies attendant on human exposure to the conditions of space.

The bioactive compounds, like phenols, favonoids and carotenoids, present in microalgae are in fact powerful antioxidants, with anti-cancer and anti-microbial functions. For instance, astaxanthin and fucoxanthin, carotenoids belonging to the xanthophyll class, have been demonstrated to have benefcial efects on many pathologies, including cardio-vascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia, hypertension, obesity, and osteoporosis, as well as for photo-protection and preventing the ageing of skin due to ultraviolet radiation.

The use of microalgae in space is still in its early stages, but an algae-based snack is already a candidate as one of the must-haves for the crews of the future!

A Crunchy Snack

Primates, including humans, have always eaten insectswhether they know it or not. Locusts, four moths and crickets are now fnding considerable application in food products such as burgers, snacks and biscuits. The option of including insects into BLSSs in future space missions was studied by ENEA’s REBUS project, funded by ASI. The research tested the recycling of organic waste by means of biodegradation mediated by the larvae of Hermetia illucens, also known as the soldier fy, with the aim of transforming waste macromolecules into compost for space agriculture. The results also showed that the larvae of this dipteran can be processed into a four with very valuable nutritional properties. In fact, the protein content is comparable to that of traditional meat, and all the amino acids required for human nutrition are well represented, thus opening up the option of introducing insect four into the astronauts' diet as a source of noble animal protein. In addition, the high concentration of fatty acids, both saturated and unsaturated, essential minerals, antioxidants, fbre and vitamins (especially B vitamins), would have signifcant benefcial effects for the health of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, cognitive function, the regulation of digestion and in counteracting infammatory processes.

Angiola Desiderio, ENEA and Micol Bellucci, ASI

How tomatoes are evolving in space

by Silvia Massa and Riccardo Pagliarello, ENEA

Plants will accompany mankind in our exploration of the Solar System, crews not only providing crews with life support materials like oxygen and water, and recycling them, but also with fresh food that, from the Moon outwards, will have to be produced in situ. Fresh, healthy food that also ofers high value-added molecules, like antioxidants and biopharmaceuticals, which are essential to sustain life in space and to protect astronauts from the negative efects of living in confned, hostile environments due, primarily, to altered gravity and harmful radiation.

The challenge is to develop plant species capable of adapting to and withstanding the extreme conditions of space. Tomatoes, in particular, are a valuable source of benefcial compounds, and are one of the candidates for cultivation in space. As part of the HortSpace and BIOxTREME projects, funded by the Italian

The MicroTom tomato with its high anthocyanin content (powerful antioxidants which are also studied in space to counteract pathologies incurred about by cellular oxidative stress) in a high-density automated offground cultivation system at the ENEA Casaccia Research Centre, Rome, with details of the fruit.

Credits: ENEA

Space Agency, ENEA has developed and characterised a tomato with a rich content of antioxidant molecules, designed to handle growing conditions in space and satisfy the requirements of astronauts engaged in long-term space missions. The project was recently documented in the scientifc journals Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences and Frontiers in Plant Sciences.

In order to evolve the tomato for space, a group of researchers from ENEA's Biotechnology Laboratory, in collaboration with the University of AmsterdamSwammerdam, rekindled the dormant mechanisms controlling the production of anthocyanins (powerful antioxidants which have also been studied for their space applications, since they counteract the molecular and physiological mechanisms of pathologies caused by cellular oxidative stress) in the modern tomato. The project focused on a dwarf variety of tomato, MicroTom, which has a reduced habitus and is suitable for high-density cultivation in above-ground sy-

stems with LED light that will form the basis of the automated growing systems planned for future launchers and space outposts. The project studied the effects of ionising radiation on these plants for the frst time, systematically and throughout their life cycle, focusing on their phenotypic aspects (such as height and number/size of fowers and fruits) as well as their primary metabolism (photosynthetic efciency) and secondary metabolism (production of molecules useful for plant and human health). These plants demonstrated either negligible or valuable variations in their photosynthetic capacity and productivity under acute irradiation. This work was possible thanks to a collaboration with the Gamma Irradiation Facility Laboratory at the Casaccia Research Centre, Rome. This is a unique radiation facility at both the Italian and European levels, capable of simulating conditions in space and enabling us to understand and prevent the efects that space - and its radiation - can have on living beings and technological devices.

Space exploration continues to be a strong catalyst for innovative technologies, which also have direct applications on Earth. At a time when innovation in the agri-food sector is increasingly crucial to address challenges like population growth, shrinking arable land area and climate change, biotechnology research can identify plants which are not only capable of surviving in extreme conditions, such as deserts and Antarctic bases, but also of behaving as living laboratories for the production of pharmaceutical molecules.

Wolffa globosa: The Superfood of the Future

In the silence of infnite space, a small nutritional giant is gaining a place of honour: Wolffa globosa, the water lentil. Tiny in size (0.8-1.0 mm) but with enormous potential, this aquatic plant produces a microscopic fower (0.3 mm in diameter), claimed to be the smallest in the world, and is revolutionising the concept of off-planet agriculture.

ESA’s Superfood for Space project has identifed Wolffa globosa as an ideal candidate for interplanetary missions. This is because it surpasses soya in terms of protein content (25-35%) and also provides a rich supply of polyunsaturated acids (60% of its fat content). Its rapid growth, which doubles its biomass in just over 24 hours, makes it a winning choice.

In the meantime, another ESA Superfood for Space project, Wolffa Hyper-g, is studying the effects of microgravity and hypergravity on these plants. With compact hardware and a controlled environment, it is looking at how Wolffa plants respond to these extreme conditions: a key step in understanding their adaptability and applications in space agriculture. These initiatives not only aim to provide sustainable food for astronauts, but the resulting technologies and knowledge

could have applications on Earth, such as in industrial agriculture. In response to the needs of future lunar missions, botanists at the University of Naples Federico II Department of Agriculture are developing an innovative automated cultivation system, monitored by miniaturised sensors and controlled by software to maximise yield and nutritional value in space and terrestrial environments. The system is the subject of a recently approved project, the frst example of technology transfer from space research to terrestrial applications in Agritech.

The water lentil is thus proving not only to be a superfood for our future in space, but also a catalyst for human agricultural on Earth.

by Leone Ermes Romano and Giovanna Aronne Department of Agriculture -

University of Naples Federico II

DehyDrateD fooD for space, ItalIan gourmets on the Iss

by Fulvia Croci

A balanced diet plays a critical role in the well-being of astronauts and consequently in the performance of in-orbit activities. Tiberino, a brand of Sudalimenta srl, founded in 1888, is a specialist manufacturer of dehydrated food whose products have been consumed aboard the International Space Station on several missions. Antonio Gattulli, Sales Director Worldwide for Tiberino, tells us about the history and plans of the Bari-based company.

How does space food come into being?

As with everything related to space missions, space food requires careful and meticulous preparation, involving many stakeholders.  We start out by considering the requirements of the individual astronauts, both in terms of nutrition and in terms of personal taste. The second stage involves carefully selecting the dehydrated raw materials from which the space menu is made: natural products, without artifcial preservatives, chemical favourings or GMOs, to ensure that even under the most extreme conditions, the result is always of a high standard. The third stage, packaging, is done under stringent quality controls. In fact, the recipe is combined with specially designed and certifed packaging to withstand extreme conditions, to ensure a high quality meal which is easy to prepare. In this phase, Tiberino works together with other outstanding Italian public and private actors: we strongly believe that collaboration is the best way achieve a common result.

What recipes have you made for eating in space?

Recipes for space missions obviously cannot be pre-

pared as at home, and we have to avoid crumbs and fuid leaks as far as possible, since they can damage the equipment on the ISS. This is why we include foods like almonds and taralli (hard biscuits) in our menu, which can be eaten in one bite. The meals are

Tiberino dehydrated foods - a passion for food that has lasted 4 generations

Our company is the natural continuation of the fourgeneration long journey of the Tiberino family. It all began in the late 1800s, when founder Nicola Tiberino started the business in a small workshop in the historic centre of Bari. After a few years, he was joined by his sons Raffaele and Tommaso, and the business soon developed into the historic food wholesale business it is today. In the early post-war years, Raffaele's son Nicola, joined the company and expanded its reach to the whole of Europe, quickly transforming the company into an importer-exporter of speciality foods. In 1999, with the entry into the family business of Nicola's son, named in the traditional way after his grandfather Raffaele, the business expanded its selection of local specialties with the production of its own line of high quality dehydrated pasta dishes: Primi Tiberino. Today, the Tiberino brand is known and appreciated by the most quality-conscious consumers in search of genuine Made in Italy cuisine. Primi Tiberino can be found in many of the best gourmet stores in the USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and France, along with many other countries.

moist, pre-cooked and thermo-stabilised to allow the ingredients to maintain their original characteristics. Over the years, we have created more than ffty recipes, including pasta, risottos, soups and lasagnes, and some vegan quinoa dishes.

Credits: sudalimenta srl by tiberino, nasa , esa

These are part of the so-called bonus foods, an extra portion that astronauts can choose according to their personal preferences. Which missions have you contributed to?

We have provided meals for three missions: Paolo Nespoli's Sts-120 mission in 2007 (NASA), Roberto Vittori's Sts-134 mission in 2011 (NASA), and Luca Parmitano's Volare mission in 2013 (ASI). The astronauts’ meals are always designed together with a team of nutritionists to ensure they provide the right nutritional content in such a challenging environment. To mention just a few examples, for Nespoli we prepared a strawberry pasta with porcini mushrooms and peppers that was greatly appreciated by the whole crew. Parmitano paid homage to his home region, Sicily, with an Orzo alla Norma with aubergines.

How would you characterise your supply chain?

For around 40 years, we have specialised in the production of dehydrated, ready-to-cook, 100% natural gourmet dishes made from only high-quality ingredients. Our vision is to bring authentically Italian dishes to tables all over the world that are ready in minutes, healthy and taste great. We make our products by carefully selecting suppliers and dehydrated raw materials, sourced exclusively from Italy and Europe and, under the constant supervision of our quality department, we perfect individual recipes in our search for the right balance between taste and nutritional value, in order to present the market with dishes that are not only tasty but also healthy.

Space projects for the future?

At Tiberino, we have recently initiated collaborations with the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests, as well as the Italian Space Agency and the Universities of Bari and Milan, with the aim of creating space meals that are not limited to the ISS, but also look beyond it, with a view to permanent bases on the Moon and Mars. This new requirement is a major challenge: longer shelf-life, sustainable packaging, higher radiation protection and the ability to adapt to new living conditions. Our goal is to consolidate our position as partners of all actors involved in taking Italy further into space, adding high value in terms of favour and nutrition, and bringing the excellence of Italian cuisine to space.

Stefano Polato, the astronauts’ chef

by Giulia Bonelli

Interview with the chef who opened the frontier for food in space

In 2012, Stefano Polato, chef at the 'Campiello' restaurant in Monselice, Padua, received an unusual phone call. The caller was Samantha Cristoforetti, who was training for her frst mission on the International Space Station, who asked Polato for some ideas for recipes to take with her. Polato’s proposal, sent the next day, met with her approval. And so Stefano Polato was recruited by the European Space Agency as chef for the Futura mission, which two years later took the frst Italian woman to space.

They were two years of intense activity for the chef. Born in 1981, Stefano Polato is known for his innovative cuisine, the outcome of deep research. After graduating in Cultural Heritage, he began training as a cook, studying nutrition as part of a full spectrum approach to food. He developed the 'vertical cooking' method, based on careful selection, preparation and storage of food. He also employed this approach in his food for space, developing innovative and nutritionally complete meals for Samantha Cristoforetti.

“My life journey has taught me that food is not only about feeding people,” says Polato: “it is also about transmitting the concepts of healthy, proper nutrition through food. A cook has a defnite responsibility - in addition to satisfying the palate - for the well-being and health of the people he serves. Samantha Cristoforetti asked for my number because she knew that, as a cook, I was also training in nutraceutics, nutrigenomics and ethical nutrition, so she wanted my input. That meeting opened up a whole new world for me, the world of space.”

Research is the frst step into this world. The key is to combine diferent kinds of knowledge: Polato learned the secrets of feeding in microgravity thanks to his collaboration with Turin-based space engineering company Argotec.

“It was like a shaggy dog story: there’s an astronaut, an engineer and a technologist... and at the end it’s the cook who tries to get everyone to agree. But there’s no doubt that Argotec was the perfect partner: they already had an engineering approach, and they helped me to bring that into the kitchen. Space food is an engineered food, the result of a lot of research, in which every step must be carefully monitored. The main techniques we have used are thermostabilisation, i.e. using heat as an anti-bacterial treatment, and dehydration, either freeze-drying or oxidation. Today we have tools which enable us to increase pressure while decreasing temperature, thus safeguarding micronutrients that would otherwise be damaged by excessively high temperatures. But although there are already standards in place for decades in the space kitchen, we also have the opportunity to test innovative solutions for product quality. Above all, space food must also be satisfying, and as close as possible to freshly made food. The frst problem astronauts may encounter is lack of appetite, which is why we have to provide them with good, healthy food.”

This is a combination that, according to Stefano Polato, is still difcult to achieve even here on Earth in many cases. “It’s a prejudice that stems from mistakes made over many years by the industry, which has often proposed a harmful feeding

Stefano Polato, the ‘space chef’ for several European astronauts. Credits: Stefano Polato

model. On the contrary, favour and quality can - and should! - go hand in hand. From this point of view, research into food for space can teach us a lot. Indeed, Samantha Cristoforetti's menu can be an inspiration for us on Earth as well. Polato was able to ofer a wide choice of ‘bonus’ food, i.e. the food that European astronauts bring to the ISS to supplement the meals provided by

Houston, for AstroSamantha's Futura mission. Among the meals developed by Stefano Polato were a salad of quinoa, mackerel, tomatoes and courgettes, a legume soup, brown rice with turmeric chicken and vegetables, crispy dehydrated asparagus, pear, apple and strawberry-favoured smoothies, and organic energy bars with goji berries, chocolate and spirulina.

We asked the chef to tell us about his favourite space recipe. “My favourite was the legume soup. It sounds like a simple dish, which you can also fnd in supermarkets, but you can put a world into it. We worked in collaboration with Slow Food and the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo. My career in gastronomy, even at the university level, has enabled me to study raw ingredients in depth. We looked for legumes with a perfect amino acid profle, high digestibility and a thin skin, a certain amount of carbohydrates and an inherent natural favour.”

The Italian Space Agency's Futura mission, launched on 23 November 2014 and lasting 199 days, also saw Samantha Cristoforetti experiment with a new form of space food, which was also picked up by subsequent missions. So far, Stefano Polato has fed four European astronauts: Samantha Cristoforetti (for both her missions, in 2014 and the most recent one in 2022), Luca Parmitano, Paolo Nespoli and Andreas Mogensen. And he’s always ready for new challenges.

The most recent one? Leveraging the experience gained in cooking for low orbit back to Earth. Together with Sara Rocci Dennis, an aerospace engineer, he has set up Eat Freedom, a company with a mission to bring good, healthy food to extreme environments on our planet. Not so diferent from the environment of space, in the end.

“Eat Freedom,” says Polato, “was born out of Sara's passion for high altitudes. Taking a cue from space cuisine, we tried to create dishes that would be suitable, for example, Himalayan climbing expeditions, since climbers have similar nutritional needs to astronauts. And we are currently working on applying our experience to other areas, like caving or the Arctic.”

But without ever forgetting space. Polato continues to follow developments in the space sector closely, looking ahead to future long-term missions to the Moon and eventually Mars. "While never ceasing to innovate, I also see the future of space food as a return to our roots. Paradoxically, we will have to go back to our prehistory on the Moon and Mars if we are to create a sustainable space food chain while trying not to make the mistakes we have made and continue to make here on Earth.”

Flying beans, photographed by Samantha Cristoforetti in 2015 during the Futura mission. Credits: ESA/NASA

ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti prepares for lunch in space. Credits: ESA

Future Moon bases will have a circular economy

by Giuseppina Pulcrano

What will be the economic model for living in colonies on the Moon or Mars? Certainly not the one adopted on Earth since the 16th century, when the modern industrial economy was born and the 'throwaway' model of today's consumer economy was established.

A study by the United Nations indicates that more than 400 million tonnes of plastic waste was generated globally each year in 2023, half of which was designed to be used only once and only less than 10% is being recycled. Not to mention environmental, sea and air pollution.

This model will have to be rejected by the frst communities of space explorers who, in the not too distant future, will populate outposts on the Moon and Mars. Colonising of new lands in hostile environments, amidst radiation and reduced gravity and a long way of for short-term resupplies - an average of three days for the Moon and between six and eight months for Mars - demands a self-sufcient approach, starting with the reuse and recycling of waste.

What they will take with them, how they will take it, what materials and food, how to obtain water autonomously, and above all how to derive energy and make new products in situ from organic and inorganic materials.

For the last few decades, scientists have been studying procurement processes for space colonists, while NASA and the European Space Agency have been running advanced research programmes.

ESA's Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative (MELiSSA) project is conducting research into a closed life support system able to recycle air, water and waste products. The objectives are to develop technologies for a safe, reliable closed-loop regenerative life support (LSS) systems for human habitation in space, to develop understanding of bio-processes and coupled systems, and to utilise the know-how developed by implementing technologies and knowledge transfer.

To develop a circular economy for space, one must start with what we are familiar with and use on Earth, beginning with the process of breaking down materials to transform waste matter into a valuable resource.

Thales Alenia Space Italia, the lead contractor for the Precursor Food Production Unit (PFPU) under the MELiSSA programme, has developed an orbital sy-

stem demonstrator which is currently operating on Earth and is intended to be operational on the ISS by 2028.

The technologies developed include a number of demonstrators for transforming urine into energy drinks and recovering condensate water from organic elements. The PFPU aims to grow tubers in microgravity by continuously supplying them with pockets of nutrient solution. Even the containers in which the potatoes are planted are green - made of 3D printed plastic. There are two principal requirements: they must not disturb or interfere with the growth of the plants, and they must be reusable.

At present, this technology is only intended for use in orbit, but there is nothing to stop it being reused on Earth, as was the case of the light-emitting diode (LED).

“You have to think about the end-of-life phase of your equipment in order to analyse recycling options with disassembly and molecular separation. For example, direct osmosis membranes can, in an emergency, recycle urine for an energy drink. The same membranes used to transform urine into a drink can be inserted into cargo transfer bags to recover other materials that contain a small but signifcant percentage of matter for radiation shields,” says Giorgio Boscheri, head of the PFPU-MELiSSA project for Thales Alenia Space.

At the same time, research is being run to break down and convert packaging materials, i.e. the plastic used to transport food or other materials, for use in Additive Manufacturing (AM), i.e. 3D printing and beyond.

"The next frontiers for AM include in-space manufacturing of large structures, as well as on-planet production of space equipment, habitat infrastructure and shelters, along with new 4D printing and 3D bioprinting methods to support future long-distance manned missions," say Michael K. Ewert and James Lee Broyan, Jr., in their study Mission Benefts Analysis of Logistics Reduction Technologies.

Thales Alenia Space is actively studying ways of eliminating negative factors for AM, including work on noise attenuation and polymer type.

"The NOise Reduction Architecture (NO.R.A.) integrates a modular concept for additive manufacturing. Designed to increase the efectiveness of noise attenuation devices whose physical properties have been previously optimised using special topological optimisation software, NO.R.A. is a tool for determining optimal combinations of pore size and porosity for maximum sound absorption across the entire frequency range. Low-end polymers are used for 3D printing because they are inexpensive and very easy to process, but they have limited utility in space applications due to their poor mechanical properties and the limitations of conditions in space. According to European Space Agency standards, very few polymers are suitable for use in space, like polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and polyetherimide (PEI), which have the highest mechanical strength, outgassing and radiation resistance properties,” explains Antonia Simone, head of Thales Alenia Space's materials and infrastructure solutions unit. Today, waste produced on the ISS is brought back to Earth and burnt in re-entry, but why not think about reusing it? Kayser Italia, a small

The Bio-Pack Technology Demonstrator. credits: Kayser italia Srl.

a stronaut Don Pettit on the iSS, surrounded by bags of rubbish. credits: na Sa

private aerospace engineering company, has developed a technology demonstrator for ESA which reuses organic waste and waste packaging generated during space missions. The project is led by the University of Ghent, Belgium, which is developing the materials, while the technology for inhibiting and compacting of waste material from space missions prior to reuse in a new life cycle has been developed in Italy.

The BioPack technology demonstrator developed by Kayser Italia for the MELiSSA programme transforms biomaterial produced during space missions into a valuable resource. One possible use on Earth could be for waste disposal on large ships and in extreme environments.

But how does BioPack work? "The most delicate phase is the start of the transformation, but before we can even hypothesise a new life for waste materials processed in bio-regenerative systems, we must compact the waste and make it microbiologically inert by deactivating any contaminating elements," says Michele Balsamo, Head of Research and Development for Kayser Italy.

For now, BioPack is a technological process for reusing organic material like food waste, where the compost placed in BioPack is deactivated and compacted. The system outputs tiles of compacted and microbiologically stabilised material that could potentially be used as a source of nutrients for bioregenerative systems. It’s certainly possible that the system could be used to process other materials by modifying its specifcations. There are many potential applications, including additive printing to make products and producing radiation shielding materials,” says Alessandro Donati, Operations and Marketing Director for Kayser Italia.

The numbers

Michael K. Ewert and James Lee Broyan, Jr. in their study 'Mission Benefts Analysis of Logistics Reduction Technologies'.

Sandra magnus and yuri lonchakov on the iSS with food storage containers. credits: na Sa

A showcase for Italian small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups with the aim of highlighting their unique paths to growth, evolving business models and strategies for adapting and anticipating the most recent trends in New Space - an inspiration for the entire industry.

A CLOSE LOOK AT SMES

THE FERRARI FARM AND ELECTRONIC CULTIVATION IN SPACE AND ON EARTH

by Silvia Ciccarelli

On a 13-hectare farm close to Lake Salto, on the border between Lazio and Abruzzo, stands a pro duction plant, the only one of its kind in Europe, with 2 greenhouses providing absolutely sterile air and water, controlled by software which manages the entire growing cycle for 1 year, without the need for human intervention.

Thanks to its interdisciplinary approach, family hi story, roots in the land and collaboration with other organisations, Ferrari Farm has created the perfect combination of certifed organic agricultural pro duction, electrical engineering and astronautics.

Thanks to ASI, Ferrari Farm was able to put its frst meal into orbit on the ISS as early as 2011, with the STS-134 mission. Today, Ferrari Farm, for which space is not a core business but rather a promising line of business and, above all, an opportunity for innovation and the transfer to Earth of more efcient and sustainable technologies and production processes, continues to invest in research for space, collaborating with numerous research bodies and, thanks to ASI and ESA, aims to create lunar greenhouses and 3D printed food for space.

Its closed-loop computerised management of hydroponic cultivation is covered by an Italian patent, under which a number of experiments have been carried out, including the 'SOLE' ground-based demonstrator of a space greenhouse (with ENEA and ASI), using closed-loop CEA techniques and a brand new LED lighting system with 6 independently programmable wavelengths. This makes it possible to grow microgreens with excellent nutraceutical properties to provide food for future long-term space missions, as well as for household hydroponics appliances and a food-grade 3D printer for domestic use, enabling anyone to grow and process their own raw materials for the next generation of personalised meals.

It is a unique, not easily replicable story, the result of collaborations with national research institutes and G&A Engineering, a subsidiary of the family group, which combines the agricultural expertise of Ferrari Farm with the engineering know-how needed to design system for space.

Ferrari Farm is an outstanding example of an enlightened company run by a young entrepreneur, with so many ideas in the pipeline and spin-ofs with enormous potential for the challenges of global climate change, that Giorgia Pontetti was invited to present her experience and explain the benefts of her work to the United Nations. As for the future, Ferrari Farm is on the look-out for strategic partnerships and investors, both national and international, to continue to grow and develop new technologies for space and Earth. Follow the Ferrari Farm and G&A Engineering page of the Italian Space Industry Online Catalogue, with

Thales alenia space at the forefront in the design of radar-based earth observation and communications satellites

by Editorial Staf

Thales Alenia Space has long-standing expertise in the design, assembly, testing, and integration of large antennas for deep-space exploration missions such as Cassini-Huygens, which explored Saturn and its moon Titan, and BepiColombo, currently on its way to Mercury, just to name a few. Thales Alenia Space has recently been contracted by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) to develop the communications system for the innovative International Mars Ice Mapper mission on the Red planet, that will enable to connect the infrastructures on the Martian soil and the lander to the Earth, for the transmission of the RADAR images and scientifc data acquired onboard.

This Phase B1 contract, worth a total amount of about €22 million, follows on from the previous Phase A awarded to Thales Alenia Space in 2021, and successfully completed in 2022.

International Mars Ice Mapper (I-MIM) is a mission in partnership with the Italian Space Agency (ASI), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and NASA to develop a Mars orbiter, with on-board equipment identifying and measuring the extent and volume of water ice in the mid- and low-latitude regions of Mars, and where a safe landing on the planet may take place.

Thales Alenia Space will be responsible for the mission’s multi-user communications system and will also develop the innovative Large Deployable Refector (LDR) antenna enabling to establish high-data rate communications with the ground stations in both Ka- and X-band. The same antenna will serve the SAR instrument operating in L-band.

Thales Alenia Space will develop a six-meter-aperture demonstration model of the LDR by the end of the two-year phase. A study of a complementary Payload for the missions, based on a new VHF sounding radar to measure the depth of the ice profle to support and complement the SAR data, is also foreseen.

With this large antenna, Thales Alenia Space is developing enabling technologies for future challenges in Earth observation, planetary observation and communications systems, as well as for institutional and commercial systems.

In addition, participation in the International Mars Ice Mapper mission will pave the way to play a primary role in Earth-Mars communications, a key step in preparing for future human missions.

Thales Alenia Space’s radar technology does not only focus on deep space.

The Company has been selected by the European Spa-

ce Agency (ESA) to lead a wide European consortium to develop the Earth Observation Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) to be embarked on the two Harmony satellites, ESA’s 10th Earth Explorer mission.

This bridging phase contract is the frst step towards the fnal contract for the overall SAR implementation phase. Under this contract, Thales Alenia Space will lead a diversifed European industrial consortium to design, develop and validate the C-band SAR instruments and will also be responsible of the C-band digital electronic and antenna tiles to be embarked on both Harmony satellites, expected to be launched aboard a Vega-C launch vehicle by 2029.

ESA’S choice of entrusting the development of the radar instrument to Thales Alenia Space is also evidence of the success and great compliance of the technology used and confrms the company’s leadership in manufacturing Earth Observation satellites based on radar technology.

The development of this instrument will allow Thales Alenia Space to make an important technological and architectural step forward improving the competitiveness of SAR products in the institutional and commercial Earth observation market.

Together with data from Sentinel-1, for which Thales

Thales alenia space has assembled, integrated and tested the Rosetta probe.

Alenia Space is the prime contractor, the two-satellite constellation Harmony promises to provide a wealth of unique and innovative data on the oceans, the sea glaciers and the earth’s crust.

Very high-performance programs employ Thales Alenia Space’s technological excellence, both in the Observation feld, such as COSMO-SkyMed and its second generation CSG, as well as the Sentinel satellites of the European program Copernicus, and deep space communications.

The historical success of the Rosetta/Philae mission that landed on a comet was due to Thales Alenia Space being in charge of the assembly, integration and testing of the Rosetta probe, while Leonardo contributed with the main onboard instruments and the biggest solar arrays ever designed for a scientifc mission. This proved that the European space industry, and the Italian one in particular, can claim world leader status in this sphere, and that this is by no means the end of the story.

The challenge continues for Thales Alenia Space, from the production of a high-gain antenna for the orbiter of the ExoMars 2016 mission to the Mars exploration mission in 2028.

Dining in space with Paolo Nespoli

by Manuela Proietti

Born in 1957, with three missions on the International Space Station, Esperia, MagISStra and Vita, for a total of 313 days, 2 hours and 36 minutes in orbit, corresponding to more than 600 meals consumed in space, leaving out breakfast and snacks. Paolo Nespoli, the former Italian astronaut for ESA, has plenty of experience with space food. He talked to us about it.

I would start somewhat atypically: preparing food for space is a challenge. Just imagine you cook something at home, something very tasty and inviting - and then you put it in a small packet and leaving it on the table, in the open air, for a whole year before you eat it.

After a year, what would have become of that delicious meal? It would probably be completely inedible. Preparing space food is as complex as it is important: the prepared product must be able to withstand long-term storage at room temperature, be transportable, heatable and coolable, be able to handle a whole range of stresses and, after all that, keep all its nutritional characteristics, which is essential to ensure the health of the astronauts.

With the MagISStra and Vita missions, you were on the ISS for about six months each time. Did you know what you were going to eat? Did you have a menu?

NASA and the Russian Space Agency, which are the two largest producers of food, run test sessions in which you try all the foods to fnd out if there are any that you don't like or that bother you. They collect this data and then try to make a menu that will suit all members of the crew - not an

Space lettuce grown on board the ISS during the VITA mission. Credits: ESA/ NASA

easy matter! But it’s not like they say: at dinner you’re eating this, at breakfast you’re eating that. They give you parcels, each containing food for 14 days. These contain diferent kinds of prepared meals, and you can eat whatever you like. Clearly, the things you like the most are the ones you eat frst, so in the end you’re left with the things that nobody wants, but you eat them anyway because you understand how difcult it was to get them to the ISS. And also because if you don't fnish your fortnightly package, you’re eating less than you really need. In the past, astronauts returned to Earth with substantial weight losses. And when you lose weight in orbit, you don't lose fat, you lose muscle. The fat remains, so you don't become thinner, but fabbier.

Today, fortunately, that’s no longer true. When you eat something you scan the packet, and the system records what you’re eating. Once a week a dietician checks your menu and tells you whether you’ve had too few calories, too much potassium or too much salt, for instance. Then they give you tips on how to maintain a balanced diet.

The aim is to get you to take in enough fuel for your body to function, without making you lose weight or overloading you with salt, sugar or anything else.

Food, however, as we know, also has important effects on your mood, so much so that in planning for future long-term missions to the Moon and Mars it will be one of the key elements in maintaining the psychological well-being of astronauts.

And in fact NASA did experiment with personalised menus, tailored to the individual preferences of the astronauts. But it didn’t work out because the logistics were too complex, so that system was replaced by the so-called bonus food system. In practice, every astronaut can choose a 'personal' quota of food, which is added to the total amount. The European Space Agency, for example, has chosen to produce typical local or national meals for its astronauts, formulated ad hoc in compliance with the rules dictated by NASA, through partnerships with companies and big names, including some Italian companies (like Tiberino and chef Stefano Polato for Argotec, which you can read about in this issue, ed.).

What’s the best food you've eaten up there? And what was your least favourite?

I don't know, I can’t think of a particular meal. Sure enough, when I opened these packages, which are about the size of large shoebox, there was always something I liked. If I had to rate the food on the station from 0 to 10, I’d give it a score of 6 to 7, i.e. sufcient

to fair. There was nothing really fantastic, just as there was nothing really bad. I have a religious relationship with food, I can't, I just can't leave anything on my plate unless it’s really awful. I understand the how difcult it is to prepare food, and I’m grateful for it. Even when I was in the army, I used to eat food ladled onto steel trays straight from the pot and I never complained. Food has never been an issue for me. The only problem was not getting enough of it!

And what bonus foods did you choose?

Typical Italian specialities: risotto alla milanese, lasagne, dishes that we shared at the famous 'Italian dinners', but also pastries and chocolates that I enjoyed while watching Italy roll by underneath us from the Cupola, Italy's window on Earth and the universe.

What do you think the space food of the future will be like? What are the critical issues for future long-term missions to the Moon and Mars?

Transporting food up from Earth is a problem in terms of cost, space, weight and shelf life. Taking food to the Moon could be a real problem, but it’s one we can solve. It’s when we think about Mars that things start to get really complicated. It’s clear that we will have to fnd ways to produce food in situ in the future. I participated in a study at MIT, Boston, where they proposed packaging food in tubes, like edible toothpaste. Then there’s the option of 3D printing food: you print an apple and add favours and colours to it, so that it’s edible and also palatable and inviting to eat. We experimented with growing vegetables on the ISS, with excellent results. Growing plants and vegetables in greenhouses not only makes fresh food available at all times, but is also an activity with a positive efect on the astronauts’ wellbeing, because gardening is good for you physically and psychologically. So these are all defnitely options for the future.

Nespoli on board the Soyuz capsule, ready for launch to the ISS.

You are what You eat

by Serena Perilli and Serena Pezzilli Science and Research Directorate, ASI

Since the dawn of medicine, man has paid special attention to food, attributing health and medical properties to it. “You are what you eat,” said German philosopher L. Feuerbach in the mid-19th century; almost 2000 years earlier, the father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, said: “Let food be your medicine and let medicine be your food.”

Modern scientifc research has shown that many so-called 'functional’ foods are rich not only in nutrients, but also in bioactive ingredients with nutraceutical properties that can improve physiological health and re-

duce the risk of chronic disease. The best known functional foods are those rich in probiotics and antioxidants, such as polyphenols, carotenoids, favonoids, vitamins, fbre and essential fatty acids such as omega-3. But how can these components contribute to physiological wellbeing, reducing risk and mitigating certain pathologies? Let’s look at a few examples. Flavonoids, found in abundance in fruits and vegetables, tea, chocolate and wine, have a strong antioxidant power that mitigates oxidative stress, one of the main contributors to endothelial dysfunction and hypertension. Including them

in the diet can improve cardiovascular health and contribute to preventing and treating hypertension. Fibre, which is also abundant in fruit and vegetables, promotes healthy intestinal transit, as well as helping to prevent cancers of the colon-rectum, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Omega-3, found in eggs, certain types of fsh, milk, etc., also contributes to preventing cardiovascular disease by reducing levels of plasma triglyceride.

Finally, probiotics, which are contained in yoghurt and fermented milk, provide vitamins B12 and B2, calcium and minerals, and help

balance the intestinal microbiota. This latter issue is the subject of an increasing amount of research into its fundamental role in intestinal maturation, energy metabolism, nutrient absorption and the immune system (see box for more details). In addition to its nutritional and functional properties, food plays a fundamental role in emotional and psychological wellbeing, and eating is a common strategy for coping with emotional stress. Scientifc research is increasingly focusing on the role played by diet, including through its action on intestinal microbiota, in the development, management and prevention of a number of psychiatric disorders, as well as in improving an individual's performance. Not only that, eating can be a rewarding experience, and is a fundamental occasion for conviviality and socialisation, key aspects of human life. One need only think of how important meals are to personal, religious, and traditional celebrations. Food is also an element in cultural identifcation: a region’s culinary traditions contain all its peculiarities and history.

Food is more than just nutrition: the importance of intestinal microbiota to Man’s psychophysical equilibrium

The intestinal microbiome has been the subject of numerous studies in recent years, which have demonstrated the critical role in plays in our organism. An unbalanced microbiome is at the root of many pathologies, including gastrointestinal disease, infections, obesity, diabetes and cancer.

Detail of a painting

In extreme conditions like those in space, food can be of paramount importance to an astronaut's psychological and physical well-being. The unique conditions in space, including microgravity and ionising radiation, induce psychophysical alterations in the body with potential repercussions on health, including multi-organ dysfunction, immune defciency, oxidative stress and loss of bone and muscle tissue, while isolation and confnement have a negative impact on psychological wellbeing and performance. In this regard, NASA's HERA experiment on the ISS demonstrated how a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, fsh, favonoid-rich foods and omega-3 can reduce cholesterol and cortisol (stress hormone) levels, improve cognitive response (speed, accuracy and attention), and stabilise the intestinal microbiota.

In 1999, M.D. Gershon, the father of neurogastroenterology, called the gut a 'second brain', paving the way for the study of the relationship between intestinal microbiota, the central nervous system and cognitive health. A well-balanced microbiome can help reduce infammation, which is also linked to neurodegenerative conditions. A diet that promotes a balanced microbiota, e.g. by including probiotics, can therefore also improve a person’s physiological health and their cognitive function and mood.

The link between nutrition and psychophysical health is key to personalised nutrition, which consists in identifying the optimal diet for each individual based on their genetic, phenotypic, medical and nutritional profles. Although further research in this feld is still needed, the requirement for personalised nutritional protocols to protect the health of astronauts, especially with a view to the exploration of the Moon and Mars, will accelerate our understanding, with benefts for our life on Earth as well.

by Arcimboldo.

Food science in orbiT and its spin-offs For everyday liFe

by Sofa Pavanello BioAgingLab Laboratory Manager University of Padua

In the vast panorama of space science and technology, one of the least considered and yet genuinely critical areas is astronaut nutrition. While the public often admires space launches, missions to Mars and the amazing developments in orbit, few consider the work that goes into feeding humans in space. However, research and innovations in space nutrition not only enable our astronauts to survive, but also have profound efects on daily life here on Earth.

The space exposome and ageing: strategies for mitigation

In our age of space exploration, mankind stands on the edge of unprecedented frontiers, with ambitious plans to take humans frst to the Moon with the Artemis programme and then to Mars, over the next ten years. These projects, which aim to expand human habitation beyond Earth, are opening up new opportunities for living, working and even tourism in space. However, this brings with it an inherent danger, as space itself presents an inhospitable environment, known as the 'space exposome'. The space exposome is a fascinating and yet disturbing concept in the feld of space exploration. It defnes the multitude of risk factors in space that may afect the health and wellbeing of astronauts during space missions. The space exposome encompasses a number of serious hazards, including microgravity, radiation, intense worklo-

ads, disturbances to sleep-wake rhythms, isolation and confnement, all classifed as 'red hazards' due to their ability to infict major harm to human health. Upon returning from prolonged space missions,

dieticians, doctors, scientists and chefs work together to develop diets suited to the stressful environment of space, characterised by microgravity, intense radiation and confned spaces.

astronauts experience a number of health problems strikingly similar to those found in the elderly. These efects extend to a variety of physiological systems, afecting the immune system, bones, muscles, eyes

and balance, as well as cardiovascular coordination. The cellular ageing process is characterised by a gradual decline in physiological condition, leading to impaired function and increased vulnerability until death. Pioneering research by López-Otín and colleagues in 2023 unveiled 12 fundamental indicators of ageing at the molecular level, which collectively contribute to defning the phenotype of ageing. A 2024 review of the literature on ageing and spacefight revealed interactions between the twelve hallmarks, the molecular indicators of ageing, and conditions in space. In particular, it found that space fight induces genomic instability, linked to prolonged exposure to ionising radiation, which are pro-infammatory and induce changes to the immune system. In addition, alterations in nutrient sensitivity pathways with an increase in systemic insulin-like growth factor-1 was observed. Studies of the microbiome have shown up imbalances that favour opportunistic species during space fight. Telomere dynamics demonstrate singular patterns, with elongation during missions and rapid shortening on return. However, countermeasures including dietary, pre/post/symbiotic adjustments and personalised exercise regimes are showing promise.

A randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial examined the efects of supplementation with Monarda didyma L. extract on several parameters, including clinical and biochemical markers, quality of life and physical activity level. The results of this study are extremely promising, as they show that specifc supplementation leads to signifcant improvements in haematological and infammatory biomarkers. In addition, a slowing down of cellular ageing and improved quality of life were observed.

science in space Food

Science in space nutrition may be a crucial feld of research in mitigating the harmful efects of exposure to space and counteracting accelerated ageing during space missions and beyond. With an average duration of over fve months, missions to the ISS, for example, require carefully planned diets to ensure the health and performance of astronauts. Dieticians, doctors, scientists and chefs work together to develop diets suited to the stressful environment of space, characterised by microgravity, intense radiation and confned spaces. The challenges are mani-

fold, starting with the strict conservation and safety requirements of ESA and NASA. These requirements impose the choice of dehydrated, freeze-dried or heat-stabilised meals which are ready to eat after heating. However, these treatments can compromise the nutritional and organoleptic characteristics of the ingredients, making it crucial to control the processing, cooking and storage processes to ensure an adequate intake of macro- and micronutrients.

Scientists have developed a number of innovative solutions to these challenges. From balanced diets packed in convenient containers to growing vegetables on board missions, human ingenuity has led to signifcant advances. 3D printed food enables meals to be personalised to the specifc dietary needs of each astronaut.

One promising strategy involves formulating diets rich in bioactive food molecules that inhibit the DNA-methyltransferase enzyme, reducing hyper methylation in targeted regions of human DNA and activating specifc genes. These molecules may act di rectly on the enzymes involved in DNA methylation or indirectly, by through altering the availability of en zyme substrates or cofactors. Furthermore, creating meals with epigenetic efects, which maintain high nutritional and antioxidant characteristics, could reduce the production of compounds with high oxidant activity (ROS) and the infammatory response, thus slowing down cellular ageing. But another chal lenge is to provide meals with excellent organoleptic qualities.

spin-offs of research into space food

Research into space food has opened the door to innovative applications that go far beyond the world of space itself. In particular, more attention should be given to functional meals, using locally sourced raw materials and the typical products of the Mediterranean diet, the development of natural nutraceutical supplements and green nutraceuti cals for health and environmental sustainability. In conclusion, research into space food is not just about space. It ofers new perspectives on the improvement of our health and environmental sustainability, po tentially transforming the way we feed and live both on Earth and in space. It is an opportunity to ensure a better future for all.

Supernova champagne: a drink in space

Food is not only a source of the energy and nutrients we need to stay healthy, but also plays a key role in our psychological well-being. Alcoholic beverages contribute to familiarity, conviviality and cultural exchange on many social occasions. The astronauts of the future will be on increasingly long missions and will inhabit bases and colonies on satellites and planets very different from, and above all, very far away from Earth. In this context, the (moderate) consumption of alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine can be considered a factor capable of contributing to the sensory and psychological well-being of astronauts. Researchers have been looking into how to optimise fermentation processes for beer production under simulated space conditions. Recent studies have shown that microgravity not only accelerates the growth of yeast and the fermentation of must, but also increases the resistance of microorganisms to freezing; the resulting beer, however, has lower organoleptic quality than that brewed on Earth. As for wine, normal wineglasses will be replaced by gelatinous spheres containing botrytised, sweet and fne wines like Calcaia Muffa Nobile. These studies aim to enable the astronauts of the future to feel connected to planet Earth, their countries and their families, however far from home they are..

by Luca Parca and Micol Bellucci Science and Research Directorate, ASI

Comet InterCeptor: new unknown insights on the origins of our solar system

by Editorial Staf

Comet Interceptor is a very innovative satellite; its target is to visit a truly pristine object on its frst encounter with our inner Solar System and to provide new details in the evolution of comets and of our Planet. It is the frst ESA mission in the “fast-class” deep space category, with the fnancial support of ASI.

OHB Italia was responsible for the mission defnition phase and now it is prime contractor for the implementation activities. The nominal launch is scheduled for 2028, with ESA's ARIEL mission, the satellite will be positioned at the Lagrangian point L2, one and a half million km far from Earth, waiting patiently a celestial body with the required features to star his mission.

The Comet Interceptor system is composed of one main spacecraft (975 kg) and two small probes (37 kg each), which are designed to be manufactured and

integrated independently for later mating. The three modules will frst fy together to explore a comet approaching from the periphery of the Solar System. After intercepting the comet’s coma (the tail), they

Credits: ESA

Comet Interceptor’s contract signature.

will separate and the spacecraft will gather in situ scientifc data from the celestial body using multiple payloads while performing a fy-by. The data return is enhanced by the two probes operating their own payloads and relaying the acquired information on comet’s nucleus, materials and plasma environment to the main spacecraft for download.

The Comet Interceptor mission will lead to ambitious scientifc breakthroughs thanks to simultaneous measurements and science observations. The three spacecrafts will be the frst to make a fyby of a pristine comet just starting its travel into the inner Solar System, thus revealing new data about the origins of our galaxy and of the Earth.

“With a successful history of forty years in space activities, a signifcative experience as prime contractor in satellite missions and the positive results of the study phase, OHB Italia was ready to take full responsibility of the Comet Interceptor mission” – declared Roberto Aceti, Chief Executive Ofcer of OHB Italia – “We all know that the successful implementation of the Comet Interceptor mission is a huge target, at the same time the expertise of OHB Italia and of its industrial team (OHB System AG, SENER Aeroespacial S.A. and OHB Sweden AB) is exactly what is needed to achieve such target. The company is ensuring for the project its best experienced resources and modern facilities. Moreover, in this effort OHB Italia is supported by the commitment of the OHB SE industrial group in order to maximize the compliance with all the requirements and science goals set by the European Agency”.

Mission activities are progressing very fast. Recently  European Space Agency – ESA and JAXA (Japan Ae

rospace Exploration Agency) visited the HQs of OHB Italia S.p.A. to reach an important milestone: the signature of the Interface Requirements Documents (IRD) related to the Japanese Probe B1. Thanks to this step the design of the Probe B1 was fnalized. Moreover the Avionic Test Bench (ATB for insiders) is about to begin. This step is highly important because this is the frst building block for the actual development of the satellite's Proto Flight Model, i.e. the fight model on which a partial or complete proto fight qualifcation test campaign is performed before fight.

The ATB is the frst real operative test of the satellite architecture, in which all the most critical phases of the mission and its resilience will be checked. In particular, the basic avionics here tested will be the brain of the spacecraft. It will ensure the interaction between the large suite of scientifc instruments onboard and the B1 / B2 spaceprobes, making them into an integrated system.

Comet Intreceptor is now in the mid of Phase C, where the project is being consolidated in order to have access to the Critical Design Review (#CDR), after which the company will receive the authorization to manufacture the actual fight model.

“Being Prime Contractor for such ESA science mission is a great pride for OHB Italia S.p.A.” – stated Giovanni Prandini, Board Member and HR Director – “More than 40 years of heritage in the space sector have allowed us to look more and more into the future and to assume ever greater responsibility for high-value missions like this one, both in terms of the human skills required and of the in-built challenging complexity.

Comet Interceptor Rendering Credits: OHB Italia

The role of The leonardo group companies in The iride programme

One of Europe’s most important Earth observation space programmes in the coming years will certainly be IRIDE, born on the initiative of the Italian government and funded by PNRR resources. The programme will be completed by 2026 under the management of the European Space Agency (ESA) and in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency (ASI).

IRIDE is a hybrid constellation that will be composed of satellites of diferent class with sensors to monitor our planet; this end-to-end system consists in a set of sub-constellations of satellites in low orbit, operational infrastructure on the ground and services for the Italian Public Administration. IRIDE can therefore be considered “a constellation of constellations”, which includes 34 satellites with an additional option of another 35 satellites, made entirely by Italian companies.

For Italy as a country and as an industry, IRIDE represents a unique opportunity to consolidate its role as a leader in the European space sector, thanks to the presence of major Italian companies, such as Leonardo, Telespazio, Thales Alenia Space and e-GEOS. In addition, IRIDE will be able to help stimulate innovation and the development of new technological solutions, creating new opportunities for SMEs active in the space sector.

Leonardo, in particular, will provide IRIDE with hyperspectral instruments and high-defnition optical instruments, compact and lightweight sensors of the latest generation, thanks to the skills and expe-

by Editorial Staf

Credits: Telespazio

rience gained over the years in programmes such as PRISMA (a spacecraft equipped with the hyperspectral instrument made by Leonardo, which makes Italy an excellence in the world for this type of technology), and PLATiNO, the programme developed by Sitael, Leonardo, Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Italia thanks to a technology development contract with ASI.

Regarding ground operational infrastructure aspects, Telespazio was awarded, as the prime contractor of a team that includes Aiko, Leonardo, Next, Planetek, Serco and Thales Alenia Space, the contract for the construction of the Flight Operations Segment (FOS) of the constellation in relation to satellites based on NIMBUS and PLATiNO platforms.

The FOS will ensure command and control, orbital determination and collision avoidance, data acquisition related to payloads, monitoring and planning of IRIDE satellites. Not to be forgotten are the crucial aspects of cybersecurity: Leonardo's Global Security Operation Centre (SOC) will support the FOS with real-time security monitoring to quickly identify resources or potentially harmful events, anticipating and acting promptly against potential cyberattacks or

Antennas of the Fucino Space Centre.

cyberattack attempts. Telespazio will also ensure the preparation of fight operations, training activities, the creation of the network of ground stations, the execution of the LEOP (Launch and Early Orbit Phase) and commissioning phases for the IRIDE satellites.

Thales Alenia Space will provide a frst group of six small satellites based on SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) technology and one satellite based on optical technology. Both groups, with a combined weight of 170 kg, use the innovative and modular NIMBUS (New Italian Micro Bus) platform. The company will contribute to the creation of IRIDE with innovative satellites that will guarantee a high review time by providing data that can be integrated with the data of existing infrastructure, such as COSMO-SkyMed second- generation, Prisma and Copernicus. The satellites under the responsibility of Thales Alenia Space, equipped with solar panels made by Leonardo, will be built in Italy thanks to the contribution of the entire supply chain of SMEs in the space sector.

e-GEOS will build the infrastructure for access to IRIDE data and services for ESA and will lead an industrial team that also includes Leonardo, Telespazio,

iride is a hybrid constellation that will be composed of satellites of different classes with sensors to monitor our planet.

Planetek, SERCO, Exprivia and Atos. The IRIDE digital marketplace will guarantee a reliable and cyber-protected single access point for institutional bodies and commercial clients, transforming Earth observation into a global domain of collective utility and promoting the adoption of geo-information services on a daily basis. Leonardo supports e-GEOS in defning the cybersecurity strategy for the IRIDE marketplace and in monitoring activities for the early detection of technical failures or security incidents that may cause the system to become temporarily unavailable.

The management of cybersecurity is also guaranteed by Leonardo in two other contracts, in which e-GEOS will be leading the groups of companies that will provide IRIDE with services for the study of soil movement and for emergencies, for safety at sea and on land. e-GEOS is also part of the teams that will provide services for the study of climatic variables, the classifcation of herbaceous crops, water management, agriculture, forests and territory; it will also participate in the implementation of pilot projects for modelling services based on the concept of the Earth’s digital twin.

tho book Carrying the Fire an astronaut’s Journeys

by Paolo D’Angelo

a Life of adventure by Michael Collins FEATURED

The book is widely regarded as the best autobiography ever written by an astronaut. A cult book, given that the author was a member of the historic Apollo 11 mission that took Man to the Moon in July 1969. Finally published in Italian by Cartabianca, Carrying the Fire was written in 1974 by Michael Collins, the NASA astronaut famous in Italy not only for having travelled to the Moon with Apollo 11, but also for having been born in Rome in October 1930 when his father was a military attaché at the American Embassy.

In his frst book, Collins recounts his life of adventure in an ironic and often humorous tone. Selected by NASA in October 1963, Mike Collins found himself becoming an astronaut in the golden years of space, when the Cold War race to the Moon against the Soviet Union was in full swing and each mission, whether Soviet or American, had a high risk of failure. The section of the book devoted to his frst mission, Gemini X, is full of interest, as Collins recounts the difculties of his extra-vehicular activity, namely the space walk outside the capsule, and his deep regret at losing the camera with 70 mm lens with which he had photographed this arduous undertaking.

title: Carrying the Fire author: Michael Collins

Publisher: Cartabianca

Publishing year of publication: 2023

Price: 25 euros

He turns to profound personal refections when his two Apollo 11 crew mates, Neil Armstrong and Edwin (later Buzz) Aldrin decouple from the Columbia command module to head for the Moon aboard the Eagle lunar module. His writing expresses the anguish he felt in orbit around the Moon, not because of the loneliness of space, but because of the fear of having to return alone to Earth should something happen to his two colleagues. A large book of almost 500 pages in 14 chapters, it nonetheless makes an exciting and passionate read, in a painstaking Italian translation, since the American publishing house, in granting the license for publication, insisted that the Italian version be as faithful as possible to the original, so as not to lose the profound personal meaning with which the author imbued his words. A must-have for anyone who is passionate about space exploration, the direct testimony of a man who not only experienced, but made history.