Work

Yeast-driven biomanufacturing in space: synergizing cellular agriculture for sustainable extraterrestrial habitats

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Human expansion into deep space necessitates sustainable life support. Current prepackaged food systems face nutritional, logistical, and psychological limits on long missions. Cell agriculture, particularly yeast-based biomanufacturing, emerges as a pivotal solution. Yeast's genetic flexibility, metabolic resilience, and tolerance to extreme conditions make it an ideal chassis for in-situ food and nutrient production. This review systematically explores yeast's application in creating closed-loop space food systems, analyzing its progress, challenges, and future potential for enabling sustained extraterrestrial presence.

Source: npj Microgravity

DOI: 10.1038/s41526-026-00576-2