For many years In many parts of the Western world, insects have been considered a scarce diet. However, these creatures have not only accompanied humans on their terrestrial explorations, but also on their space explorations.
Even before that, The first astronauts reached orbit, and insects were already being sent on suborbital flights. There they demonstrated an amazing ability to withstand the extreme conditions of the space environment.
As the long-term mission approaches, European Space Agency is considering species such as crickets and mealworms This could be a viable option for feeding people living far from Earth.
Its charm lies in its height Nutrient value, low resource consumption, ability to convert waste into biomass available and is a key component of the closed food system required for space missions.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that: More than 2,000 species of insects are part of the daily diet of billions of people in different parts of the world.
They are rated for their content protein, iron, zinc, healthy fats, In addition to water and space efficiency. These properties make them natural candidates for sustainable food production in confined environments such as space stations and colonies.
investigation with Insect experiments in space span decadesFrom the first test flight to the program at the orbital station.
Results have been mixed and some species have been completed. In microgravity, some individuals reached critical stages of their life cycle and showed changes in development and behavior.. This contrast has made it possible to identify which biological processes remain stable extraterrestrial and which require specific adaptation conditions.
The European Space Agency’s current activities focus on: We will study exactly how insects grow over long periods of time in orbit.
The European team is analyzing the following competencies It recycles nutrients and produces proteins in a controlled system. Candidate species include crickets (Achetadomesticus) and mealworms (Tenebrio molitor). The objective is to define the biological and technical requirements necessary to propose production on long-term space missions.
Even though there is Experiments with insects have an extensive history, and many of these studies were short-lived and did not complete their complete life cycle.
Furthermore, the methodologies used in the past few decades make comparisons of results difficult. For this reason, the European Space Agency is currently A more systematic project aimed at measuring the effects of microgravity Radiation in reproduction, growth and behavior of these species.
NASA experience Drosophila melanogaster, Or Drosophila, Reference materials for biological research in space. This insect shares a significant portion of its genes with humans, making it a useful model for studying physiological processes.
On the International Space Station, this program Drosophila laboratory I allow it Observe their development, freeze samples for analysis on the ground, and distinguish the effects of artificial gravity. By centrifugation.
For now, the use of insects for food in space remains at the research stage and cannot be applied immediately. Scientists need to confirm its long-term viability and evaluate ways to process the resulting biomass into safe and nutritionally balanced products.
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