"Interstellar Lab: We develop and commercialize biofarming platforms combining AI, advanced hardware and bioscience to supply plant based ingredients at scale on Earth and in space."
So from what I can tell, the idea here is they make farming "pods", called "Biopods". They are 5.3 meters (17.4 feet) in diameter and 2.6 meters (8.7 feet) tall. The inside is a climate-controlled environment that can recreate a wide range of climates, whatever is optimal for the food being grown. Which is grown in a modular aeroponics system. It recycles water and captures CO2 and light from the sun. AI algorithms monitor 50+ sensors and use microcontrollers to adapt the pod in real time.
"We focus on plant physiology and phytochemistry to enhance the synthesis of specific secondary metabolites by the plants."
The focus on "metabolites" makes more sense when you realize this is being done by the Robertet Group, a French manufacturer of food flavorings and fragrances.
The "space" part about the NASA Deep Space Food Challenge, which apparently is a thing. They plan to deliver their first system next year. Interestingly the system they plan to deliver includes insects. A closed-loop system with microgreens, vegetables, mushrooms, and insects. Supposed to be able to feed astronauts on long-term space missions.
#solidstatelife #astronomy #farming #agriculture #aeroponics
