Former NASA astronaut becomes space food adviser

Solar Foods, a Finland-based food technology company, has appointed Starlab Space CEO, colonel (ret.) and former NASA astronaut Tim Kopra as the company’s space adviser.

“We are so excited to have Tim on board on Solar Foods’ journey. Not only is he the CEO of a leading commercial space station company, but he has also previously spent 244 days in space. Therefore, he brings in incredible amount of insight about what it takes to develop flight certified space technology and concrete experience about consuming food in space,” Arttu Luukanen, senior vice president of space and defense at Solar Foods, said in a news release.

Kopra will be working closely with the Solar Foods’ space and defense team to integrate its Solein fermentation technology with the onboard life support systems of future commercial space stations. The company says this technology could substantially reduce resupply needs of food and water, which will be critical as space missions extend further from earth and sending food becomes too expensive.

“Solar Foods’ innovative technology for food production has direct implications for successful space missions in LEO and beyond. I’m excited to work with such a professional team and their advancements that have implications for long-duration space flight,” Kopra said.

Solar Foods was selected as the international category winner of NASA’s and the Canadian Space Agency’s Deep Space Food Challenge. To date, Solar Foods has constructed a purpose-built technology demonstrator and is currently developing bioreactor architectures suitable for zero-gravity operations. The company has also successfully completed its initial technology development project with the European Space Agency and anticipates further collaboration with ESA and industry partners.