Notice2022-01310
Notice of Deep Space Food Challenge Phase 2
Primary source
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Published
January 24, 2022
Issuing agencies
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Abstract
Phase 2 of the Deep Space Food Challenge is open, and teams that wish to compete may now register. NASA seeks to stimulate research and technology solutions to support future missions and inspire new national aerospace capabilities through public prize competitions called Centennial Challenges. The Deep Space Food Challenge is one such competition. Centennial Challenges are managed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama and are part of the Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing program within NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate at the agency's Headquarters in Washington. Phase 2 of the Deep Space Food Challenge is a prize competition with a total prize purse of $1,000,000 USD, (one million United States dollars) to be awarded to Competitor Teams that build and successfully demonstrate prototypes of novel technologies, systems and approaches for food production for long duration space exploration missions. Teams are not required to have participated in Phase 1 and must meet eligibility requirements in order to participate. NASA is providing the prize purse for U.S. Teams, and the Methuselah Foundation will be conducting the Challenge on behalf of NASA. NASA is considering a Phase 3 (full system demonstration phase) of the competition depending on the outcome of the Phase 2 competition.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 15 (Monday, January 24, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 15 (Monday, January 24, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3589-3590]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-01310]
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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
[Notice: (22-006)]
Notice of Deep Space Food Challenge Phase 2
AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
ACTION: Notice of Deep Space Food Challenge Phase 2.
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SUMMARY: Phase 2 of the Deep Space Food Challenge is open, and teams
that wish to compete may now register. NASA seeks to stimulate research
and technology solutions to support future missions and inspire new
national aerospace capabilities through public prize competitions
called Centennial Challenges. The Deep Space Food Challenge is one such
competition. Centennial Challenges are managed at NASA's Marshall Space
Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama and are part of the Prizes,
Challenges, and Crowdsourcing program within NASA's Space Technology
Mission Directorate at the agency's Headquarters in Washington. Phase 2
of the Deep Space Food Challenge is a prize competition with a total
prize purse of $1,000,000 USD, (one million United States dollars) to
be awarded to Competitor Teams that build and successfully demonstrate
prototypes of novel technologies, systems and approaches for food
production for long duration space exploration missions. Teams are not
required to have participated in Phase 1 and must meet eligibility
requirements in order to participate. NASA is providing the prize purse
for U.S. Teams, and the Methuselah Foundation will be conducting the
Challenge on behalf of NASA. NASA is considering a Phase 3 (full system
demonstration phase) of the competition depending on the outcome of the
Phase 2 competition.
DATES: Challenge registration for Phase 2 opened January 20, 2022 and
will remain open until February 28, 2022. No further requests for
registration will be accepted after the stated deadline. Other
important dates, including deadlines for key deliverables from the
Teams, are listed on the Challenge website: <a href="http://deepspacefoodchallenge.org">deepspacefoodchallenge.org</a>.
ADDRESSES: Phase 2 of the Deep Space Food Challenge requires
competitors to
[[Page 3590]]
build and demonstrate their prototypes at their own facility. Required
samples from the prototypes will be sent to external laboratories for
testing as described in the Official Rules document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To register for or get additional
information regarding the Deep Space Food Challenge, please visit:
<a href="http://deepspacefoodchallenge.org">deepspacefoodchallenge.org</a>.
Questions and comments regarding the challenge should be addressed
to Monsi Roman, Centennial Challenges Program Manager, NASA Marshall
Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 35812. Email address: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3b534a16484f565f16585e554f5e5555525a5758535a57575e555c5e487b565a525715555a485a155c544d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="573f267a24233a337a343239233239393e363b343f363b3b3239303224173a363e3b793936243679303821">[email protected]</span></a>. For general information on NASA
prize competitions, challenges, and crowdsourcing opportunities, please
visit: <a href="http://nasa.gov/solve">nasa.gov/solve</a>.
For general information on the Canadian Space Agency please visit:
<a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/space-agency.html">https://www.canada.ca/en/space-agency.html</a>. General questions and
comments regarding the program should be addressed to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#df9e8c9cf19bbab9b69e9a93f29b8c999cb7beb3b3bab1b8baf19c8c9e9fbcbeb1bebbbef1bcbe"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="317062721f7554575870747d1c7562777259505d5d545f56541f7262707152505f5055501f5250">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Summary
Food is a critical component of human space exploration missions.
When humans return to the lunar surface, the early missions are
expected to use prepackaged foods similar to those in use on the
International Space Station (ISS) today but extending the duration of
lunar missions requires reducing resupply dependency on Earth. Thus,
testing a sustainable system on the Moon that meets lunar crews' needs
is a fundamental step for both lunar sustainability and will also
support Mars exploration. As part of this, space agencies are focused
on how to furnish crew members with a viable system that produces food
for all long duration space missions. Solutions from the Deep Space
Food Challenge could be part of the larger food system as an integrated
solution that:
<bullet> Provides all daily nutritional needs
<bullet> Provides a variety of palatable and safe food choices
<bullet> Enables acceptable, safe, and quick preparation methods
<bullet> Limits resource requirements with no dependency on direct
periodic resupply from Earth over durations increasing from months to
years
In short, space agencies will need to provide their future crew
members with nutritious foods they will enjoy eating within all of the
constraints of current technology for life away from Earth. They must
also ensure that the process to create, grow, and/or prepare the food
is not time consuming and not unpleasant. Although there are many food
systems on Earth that may offer benefits to space travelers, the
ability of these systems to meet spaceflight demands has not yet been
established.
Additionally, food insecurity is a significant chronic problem on
Earth in urban, rural, and harsh environments and communities. In
places like the Arctic and Canada's North, the cost of providing fresh
produce on the shelves can be incredibly high. This can also support
greater food production in other milder environments, including major
urban centers where vertical farming, urban agriculture and other novel
food production techniques can play a more significant role.
Disasters can also disrupt supply chains, on which all people
depend, and further aggravate food shortages. Developing compact and
innovative advanced food system solutions can further enhance local
production and reduce food supply chain challenges, providing new
solutions for humanitarian responses to floods and droughts, and new
technologies for rapid deployment following disasters.
The Deep Space Food Challenge will identify technology solutions
that can:
<bullet> Help fill food gaps for a crew of 4 for a three-year round-
trip mission with no resupply
<bullet> Improve the accessibility of food on Earth, in particular, via
production directly in urban centers and in remote and harsh
environments
<bullet> Achieve maximum food output with minimal inputs and minimal
waste
<bullet> Create a variety of palatable, nutritious, and safe foods that
requires little processing time for crew members
This Challenge seeks to incentivize Teams to develop novel
technologies, systems and/or approaches 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.
I. Prize Amounts
Phase 2 of the Deep Space Food Challenge has a total prize purse of
$1,000,000 USD, (one million United States dollars).
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.
After the final on-site demonstration up to 5 top scoring U.S.
Teams will each be awarded $150,000 USD each 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 in order to
be awarded a bonus prize.
U.S. Teams must meet the eligibility requirements for the NASA
Prize in order to receive a prize from NASA.
II. Eligibility To Participate and Win Prize Money
To be eligible to win a prize, competitors must register and comply
with all requirements in the Official Rules. Interested Teams should
refer to the official Challenge website (<a href="http://deepspacefoodchallenge.org">deepspacefoodchallenge.org</a>)
for full details on eligibility and registration.
III. Official Rules
The complete official rules for the Deep Space Food Challenge can
be found at: <a href="http://deepspacefoodchallenge.org">deepspacefoodchallenge.org</a>.
Deborah F. Bloxon,
NASA Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-01310 Filed 1-21-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7510-13-P
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