Description of Challenge
The Deep Space Food Challenge seeks to create novel food production technologies or systems that require minimal inputs and maximize safe, nutritious, and palatable food outputs for long-duration space missions, and which has a potential to benefit people on Earth. Phase 1 of the challenge was a design phase, and Phase 2 will be a proto-type and demonstration phase.
The Deep Space Food Challenge will identify food production technologies that:
- Help fill food gaps for a crew of four (4) for a three-year round-trip exploration mission with no resupply
- Improve the accessibility of food on Earth, in particular, via production directly in urban centers and in remote and harsh environments
- Achieve the greatest amount of food output with minimal inputs and minimal waste
- Create a variety of palatable, nutritious, and safe foods that requires little processing time for crew members
Phase 2 of this Challenge offers a total prize purse of $1,000,000 and seeks to incentivize Teams to develop novel technologies and/or systems for food production that need not meet the full nutritional requirements of future crews, but can contribute significantly to and be integrated into a comprehensive food system.
Sponsoring/Partner Organizations
NASA coordinated with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to develop and launch the Challenge; with CSA providing its own prize purse for Canadian Teams. The Methuselah Foundation is the Allied Organization executing the Challenge for NASA.
For information on the CSA prize competition see https://impact.canada.ca/en/challenges/deep-space-food-challenge
Benefits of Participation/Awards Available
NASA Prize Purse for U.S. Teams
Up to 10 top scoring U.S. Teams will be named “finalists” and will receive $20,000 USD each from NASA and will move on to compete in the final on-site demonstration. Up to 5 top scoring U.S. Teams after the final on-site demonstration will each be awarded $150,000 USD and be invited to compete in Phase 3 (should Phase 3 open for competition). Additionally, a total of $50,000 USD will be available for bonus prizes for up to 5 U.S. Teams to be awarded when finalists Teams are announced. U.S. Teams do not need to be named as a finalist to be awarded a bonus prize. U.S. Teams must meet the eligibility requirements for the NASA Prize to receive a prize from NASA.
Recognition for Other International Teams
Up to 5 top scoring International Teams will be recognized as “finalists” and will move on to compete in the final on-site demonstration. Up to 3 top scoring International Teams will be recognized as Phase 2 challenge winners. International Teams are not eligible to be awarded prize money from NASA and must meet the eligibility requirements to participate in the Challenge and be recognized as winners.
Registration Open Date
January 20, 2022; 10:00AM Central Time
Registration Close (U.S. and Other International Teams)
February 28, 2022; 5:00PM Central Time
Submission Deadline
May 20, 2022
Frequency
Ongoing
For More Information: www.deepspacefoodchallenge.org
