European Space Agency Backs Project to Make Astronaut Food from Air and Urine
- MM24 News Desk
- 4 minutes ago
- 3 min read
The European Space Agency has launched the HOBI-WAN project, an innovative initiative that will test technology for producing protein powder for astronauts from carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and urine-derived urea in microgravity. The breakthrough system, developed with Finnish company Solar Foods and German contractor OHB System AG, could enable long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars without Earth resupply by creating food literally from thin air and recycled waste.
This ambitious project represents a significant step toward sustainable deep space exploration. HOBI-WAN (Hydrogen Oxidizing Bacteria In Weightlessness As a source of Nutrition) will fly to the International Space Station (ISS) to validate whether the protein production process can function effectively in space.
"This project aims at developing a key resource which will allow us to improve human spaceflight's autonomy, resilience and also the well-being of our astronauts," says Angelique Van Ombergen, ESA's Chief exploration scientist, reported ESA.
The technology centers on a fascinating biological process. In a compact bioreactor, a bacterial culture of Xanthobacter is fed with gaseous hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide.
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The key innovation for space applications is the use of urea—extracted from astronaut urine—as the nitrogen source instead of the ammonia used in terrestrial versions. The bacteria consume these gases and urea, multiplying to produce Solein, a protein-rich powder that requires neither farmland nor sunlight.
Providing adequate nutrition is one of the most formidable challenges for missions beyond Earth's immediate vicinity. Where continuous resupply from Earth becomes impractical or too costly, self-sufficient systems are essential.
The HOBI-WAN experiment, funded through ESA's Terrae Novae Exploration Programme, could provide a crucial solution. The system is designed to operate with higher resource recycling efficiency than current ISS life support systems, creating a closed-loop where waste products become food ingredients.
The technical implementation is complex. Solar Foods' terrestrial bioprocess technology must be translated into a compact, autonomous system that can operate safely in the confined, sensitive environment of a space station.
"Special cartridges must inject gases without any fluid escaping – a critical aspect, especially given the explosive potential of hydrogen and oxygen mixtures," notes the ESA project description. The experiment will be housed within a standard middeck locker containing an incubator, sensors, and sample extraction systems.
The project brings together specialized expertise from across Europe. OHB System AG was selected as the prime contractor, drawing on decades of experience with ISS payloads. "Since the European Columbus module was commissioned, OHB has been developing, operating, and maintaining scientific payloads for the ISS for over two decades," says Jürgen Kempf, HOBI-WAN Project Manager at OHB. He emphasizes that the mission's implications extend beyond space: "We are exploring how to sustainably support human life in space. The insights we gain here could also help address global challenges on Earth – such as resource scarcity and food security."
The HOBI-WAN project will unfold in phases. The initial eight-month phase will develop a ground-based science model, followed by the manufacturing, testing, and launch of the actual flight equipment to the ISS. Success would mark a paradigm shift in space life support, moving from stockpiling food to manufacturing it on-demand from recycled resources. For future crews on the Moon or Mars, this technology could mean the difference between survival and having to abandon a mission, making Europe a key player in humanity's next great exploration chapter.