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In 2019, NASA and the Canadian Space Agency launched the Deep Space Food Challenge, a multi-year international competition to develop sustainable food systems for long-term space missions, including on the moon and Mars. More than 300 teams from 32 countries participated in the contest and pitched their ideas for innovative food systems. The third and final phase of the challenge culminated on Aug. 16 at Ohio State. Winners across all three phases were awarded a total of $3 million.

In space, fine dining can be an alien experience. For one, no one can deliver takeout to the International Space Station. Likewise, because space food needs to be safe and nutritious, and last for at least five years, most of the fare onboard tends to be freeze-dried or packaged in disposable containers. Efforts to improve current food production systems so astronauts might have both nutritious and delicious menu choices was the focus of NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge, the third and final phase of which was co-hosted by The Ohio State University.

Inside a lab surrounded by the hum of food processing equipment, Fuanyi Fobellah wears a long black lab coat, disposable gloves and a hairnet. It’s not quite a space suit, but this summer, he’s pretending to be an astronaut. “We're called simunauts,” Fobellah said, “which are basically simulated astronauts.” Along with three other similarly clad Ohio State students, he’s testing technology that astronauts could use to grow and cook food in outer space.