NASA has announced Phase 1 of the Deep Space Food Challenge, a competition aimed at developing innovative food production technologies for long-duration space missions. With a total prize of $500,000, NASA seeks to encourage the creation of systems that can provide nutritious and enjoyable food for astronauts on missions like those to the Moon, and potentially to Mars, with limited resupply from Earth. The challenge hopes to inspire solutions that can also address food production issues on Earth, especially in urban and remote environments. Up to 20 top U.S. teams may each receive a $25,000 prize and the chance to compete in a possible Phase 2.
Simple Explanation
NASA is having a contest with prizes for new ways to make tasty food in space, which would be important for long trips like going to the Moon or Mars, and the best ideas could also help people grow food on Earth.