COINS4Food: As Above so Below

Space travel and its enabling technology is undoubtably one of the most impressive reminders of the collective power of human ingenuity and cooperation. Although an increasing number of people are making the trip to space, it remains an extremely small and exclusive group. If humans were to become a true spacefaring species, numerous challenges still need resolution, a primary one being the ability to provide the right habitat for long-term space travel. Physiologically humans need an environment to firstly shelter them against hostile surroundings and secondly one able of providing for the sustenance required by humans such as food and water. Long-term space flight and settling on another astronomical body, even our closest celestial neighbour will thus not be possible unless a habitat can be created to provide for the daily basic needs of people. In this work, the idea is to look at one of those very important daily challenges that needs to be resolved for long-term space travel, the provision of food. Space travel naturally, like all boundary breaking activities has its critics as well, those who believe the immense funds directed at space ventures could perhaps be more wisely spent right here on Earth, a planet still presenting many social and environmental challenges one of which also the provision of quality food for all. Though granted only a handful of people at great expense, have ever made the journey to space, it must be said at the same time, the technological developments to get those privileged few to space and back has also brought with it new opportunities, the preponderance of which beneficial to most people. Much can be learned not just from the actual technology devised to enable space travel but perhaps also from the futuristic ideas provided through popular culture, especially the visons of the science fiction film genre. One of the oldest running science fiction epics featuring space travel is Star Trek, which through the years have provided many a fascinating vision of technology to an appreciative audience. The purpose of this work is to take a view on some ideas provided by the Star Trek universe and use it as inspiration to present a futuristic solution for sustainable space food provisioning. The work also aims to provide some context for this conceptual solution by exploring certain challenges and opportunities surrounding the topics of food and technology in a contemporary setting.