Nanoracks has recently signed a deal with the UAE to open a space farming research centre. The plan is to grow extremely resilient crops that could thrive in harsh environments on Earth. (Image Credit: Nanoracks)
It’s like something out of the series The Expanse. Commercial space company Nanoracks plans on operating orbital greenhouses to produce extremely resilient crops that could grow in hostile environments on Earth. Ultimately, they could be used to save humanity from famine brought on by climate change. Nanoracks also signed a contract with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office to open a space farming research centre in the UAE. Doing so allows them to research mutant crops, launch them into space, and test out how the crops could grow in extreme environments on Earth.
For over 70 years, breeders have used ionizing radiation to produce new mutations in a plants’ DNA. Gamma rays, X-rays, fast neutrons, and UV lights have been tested on seeds, seedlings, or pollen, resulting in resilient crops that are pest-resistant and can thrive in harsh environments.
China also fits into this picture. According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, space mutagenesis has been used in China since 1987. The nation has flown various seeds to satellites, the Shenzou spacecraft, and high-altitude platforms. Researchers discovered that space’s extreme environment boosted the mutation of plants’ DNA at a rate of 1%. These same mutations occur on Earth at a rate of 1 in 200,000. This led to China producing over 200 new varieties of mutant space crops, such as rice, wheat, cotton, sesame, pepper, tomato, and alfalfa. These were then distributed to Chinese farmers. Luyuan 502, China’s second most popular wheat variety, was created via space breeding.
China has also invested in plant breeding technologies to help supply its population with food during the climate change crisis. The UAE, which imports 90% of its food, is also exploring this area for the same reasons. According to The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 80% of the UAE is comprised of deserts, and 5% is cultivated. The nation is also low on freshwater, making it difficult to grow crops.
Researchers plan on using the StarLab Space Farming Centre to study and produce new kinds of bacteria, biofilms, microbes, and plants. These could eventually be space-bound, either to the International Space Station or as part of other cooperations with Nanoracks.
Additionally, robotic and automated systems are expected to be developed at the StarLab Farming Centre. The plan is to use these systems to perform maintenance work on greenhouses in space, improving terrestrial farming’s efficiency.
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