A UK-based vertical farming startup, Vertical Future, is poised to revolutionize space agriculture with a pioneering project funded by the UK Space Agency. The agency has awarded the innovative company £1.5 million to create an autonomous farm aboard the world’s first commercial space station, currently under construction by US-based Axiom Space and expected to open in 2026.
As per the BIS Research report, the global vertical farming market was valued at $5.50 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach $19.86 billion in 2026, following a CAGR of 24.3% during 2021-2026.
The initiative aims to explore the viability of growing fruits, vegetables, and even pharmaceuticals in microgravity environments. This space-based farm could be instrumental in supporting human life on other planets, such as the Moon or Mars. Dr. Jen Bromley, Chief Scientific Officer at Vertical Future, emphasized the necessity of developing in-space production capabilities. "The further we go into space, the more we will need to produce while we’re there, be it food, biomaterials, or medicines," Dr. Bromley told TNW.
Adapting Vertical Future's technology for space poses significant challenges, particularly in managing water and nutrients in a zero-gravity environment. The company plans to employ a "pillow" system for fluid management, an innovation building upon earlier NASA research. This system will contain liquids in a controlled environment, allowing for automated feeding and watering of the plants.
As per the report by BIS Research, U.S. is a major player in the North America vertical farming market. The country witnessed the production of a wide range of green vegetables, such as kale, arugula, lettuce, and pak choi. In 2019, there were more than 2,000 vertical farms in the U.S., out of which 60% of the market was driven by small to medium scale companies.
Vertical farming, once hailed as the future of agriculture, has faced hurdles in scalability and cost-effectiveness. Despite these challenges, Vertical Future has adapted by selling its vertical farming systems directly to businesses, ranging from supermarkets to pharmaceutical firms. The insights gained from the space farm project could lead to breakthroughs not only in space agriculture but also in improving vertical farming techniques on Earth.
This project aims to address the logistical challenges of long-duration space missions and to enhance astronaut health and morale through fresh produce. As space missions extend in duration and distance, the psychological and nutritional benefits of fresh food become ever more critical.
Some prominent players in the vertical farming market are AeroFarms, AppHarvest, Vertical Harvest, CropOne, Plenty Unlimited Inc., AmHydro., Kalera, Heliospectra AB, Hort Americas, Signify Holding (Koninklijke Philips N.V), OSRAM GmbH., Valoya, EVERLIGHT ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., Sky Greens, SPREAD Co., Ltd.
The company plans to build the first prototype of the space farm this year, with testing on the International Space Station slated for next year, followed by deployment on the commercial space station thereafter. This bold venture into space farming underscores the potential for space exploration to yield innovations that benefit life back on Earth, continuing a long tradition of technological advancements inspired by space research. Several established companies and startups are revolutionizing agriculture with their ambitious projects.
