Photo/Illutration An illustration of a “space farm” on the lunar surface. The facility is envisioned to be built underground, where crops would be cultivated using water and fertilizer. (Provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)

At Chiba University’s Matsudo Campus, a small room at the back of a laboratory differs in temperature and humidity from the outside. 

Metal shelves on both sides of the central aisle are lined with green and purple crops, illuminated by white LED lights that give the space a futuristic vibe. 

On one of the shelves, a leafy plant had a small strawberry growing at the tip of its stem. All the crops were grown using soilless cultivation methods.

Researchers here are trying to make a giant leap forward to the future.  

From the fruits of their labor, an astronaut could someday enjoy a freshly picked strawberry on the moon. 

The groundbreaking work at the Research Center for Space Agriculture and Horticulture at Chiba University on “space farming” is laying the groundwork for future lunar settlements. 

The researchers are also unlocking innovative techniques that could be a boon for agriculture on Earth.

The research center was established in January 2023. Chiba University is the only national university in Japan with such a horticulture faculty.

The faculty applies its leading expertise in crop variety improvement and cultivation efficiency to the development of space farming.

“In space, crops must be grown efficiently in confined, enclosed environments,” said Eiji Goto, 64, professor of plant environment engineering at Chiba University. “To make lunar farming a reality, we need to improve efficiency by about 50 percent.”

The goal is to establish a space farm on the moon in the 2040s.

HARSH LUNAR ENVIRONMENT

Human activity in space currently centers on the International Space Station, which orbits 400 kilometers above the Earth.

Astronauts aboard the ISS rely on pre-packaged space food transported from Earth.

Meanwhile, the Artemis program led by NASA is under way, aiming to send humans to the lunar surface. Two Japanese astronauts are scheduled to join the mission to the moon.

Earth's satellite is 380,000 kilometers away, and in the future, large groups of astronauts are expected to spend extended periods on the moon.

The challenge lies in the moon’s harsh environment.

Due to its period of axial rotation and other factors, day and night on the lunar surface each last about two weeks.

Temperatures can reach 110 degrees during the day and drop to minus 170 degrees at night.

The gravity is one-sixth that of Earth. There is no atmosphere and cosmic radiation constantly bombards the surface.

To address these challenges, researchers envision enclosed underground farms to cultivate a variety of crops.

8 CANDIDATE CROPS

In 2019, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency compiled a report after a panel of experts held extensive discussions on lunar farming

With the prospect of humans settling on the moon in the near future, the panel examined ideas for food production.

Taking into account nutritional balance, calorie content and the potential for diverse meal options, eight crops were selected as candidates for lunar cultivation: rice, soybeans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, strawberries, cucumbers and lettuce.

At Chiba University, researchers are focusing on six of the eight crops, excluding potatoes and sweet potatoes.

“We want to cultivate a variety of crops to meet the needs of astronauts and make it possible to offer them a wide range of meal options,” Goto said.

The research on space farming is not just aimed at space exploration.

“Efficient cultivation techniques, along with automation and remote operation, can also be applied to agriculture on Earth,” said Hideyuki Takahashi, 70, head of the Research Center for Space Agriculture and Horticulture.

For example, in space, it is essential to develop a fully circular production system that makes effective use of waste. Such technologies can also be applied to creating a circulating society on Earth.

“Ensuring sustainable food is essential for longer stays in deep space,” Takahashi said. “We will collaborate with research institutions both domestically and internationally to realize space farming.”

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