Canadian Space Agency judges U of G team in out-of-this-world food challenge
A panel from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is learning how a University of Guelph team plans to grow fresh food in space.
It is part of the CSA’s Deep Space Food Challenge, an international competition, to innovate food growing methods in space, especially on places like Mars.
In 2021, the University of Guelph team, named Team Canada GOOSE (Growth Options for Outer Space Environments), with help from the Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility, became one of the top ten Canadian finalists.
The goal of the Deep Space Food Challenge is to develop the best food production technology for long-duration space missions.
Team Canada Goose created a plant-growth chamber with environment control technology that can produce high yields of fruits, vegetables and mushrooms.
“The whole environment is being controlled. So the circulation, temperature, CO2 levels, also the light levels with the LEDs,” said Serge Levesque, a graduate student on the team.
Team Canada Goose showed the CSA panel their chamber and all the fruit and vegetables they’ve been able to grow so far -- all without soil.
“It was tricky to get it working, all the different kind of plants. We spent about eight months testing different iterations of this to get here,” said graduate student Rosemary Brockett, after her team was assessed by the panel on Thursday morning.
The team admitted it took a lot of trial and error.
“We started with the glass beads and sort of rope wicks. That didn’t work. So just figuring out the process. I 3-D printed hundreds of things over the last months and just seeing what works,” Brockett said.
Fabric wicks are what did the trick, with 3-D printed holders to support the plant and fabric. Brockett said if they make it to phase three, they will make some changes to refine their methods.
“Ideally we would make these out of silicon. 3-D printing can have some issues with contamination because you have all the grooves when you 3-D print something,” Brockett said.
The inner workings of their methods are kept tight lipped as the competition continues but Team Canada Goose said their next goal is to have it used closer to home.
“Deploying this technology in harsh environments like Canada’s north and attempting to mitigate at least part of the food insecurity aspects of living in the far north,” said the team’s leader and direction of Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility, Mike Dixon.
Dixon said he’s proud of what his team has submitted and said the CSA seemed to be impressed.
“It looked like we did very well. I saw a lot of vigorous nodding of heads so they understood the principles and the proof of concept that each of the elements of this project created,” Dixon said.
In the spring the team will find out if they’re moving onto the next round. The grand prize winner of $380,000 will be awarded in 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.