Expanding Controlled Environment Agriculture for Long-Duration Space Missions through Crop Diversification

As NASA’s Artemis program and ESA’s Terrae Novae roadmap move towards sustained human presence on the Moon and Mars, food autonomy for extended missions becomes critical. The objective of Spaceship FR team at CNES (French Space Agency) is to develop innovative technological bricks for the future Moon and Mars bases, thanks to technologies and skills of its partners’ network. Bricks related to Food Management System can be used for food production, transformation, conservation, and cooking with the highest degree of autonomy. Here, our research expands the capabilities of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) by introducing high-yield, nutrient-dense crops suited to space-based cultivation systems. We selected high yield, nutrient dense crops, including cereals (wheat, millet) and legumes (lentils, kidney beans, peanuts), to complement vegetable production, enhancing both nutrition and food security options for long-duration missions. This study pursues the design and implementation of a modular, multi-layered cultivation system capable of continuously supplying over 50% of the daily caloric intake required by a four-person crew. Cultivation trials were conducted to quantify both primary crop yields and byproducts. Byproducts are quantified and characterized for their potential in repurposing for in-situ mushroom cultivation, thereby maximizing resource use within closed-loop life support systems. Findings from these trials provide critical data for refining cultivation protocols and optimizing CEA systems, marking a significant step toward sustainable, autonomous food systems for lunar and Martian habitats.