Space Food System Challenge.pdf

Rev.: 03/2025

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. NO PROPOSALS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED

IN RESPONSE TO THIS NOTICE.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is hereby soliciting information from potential sources for the Deep Space Food Challenge. NASA seeks to stimulate research and technology solutions to support future missions and inspire new national aerospace capabilities through public prize competitions called Centennial Challenges. The Deep Space Food Challenge is one such competition. Centennial Challenges are managed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama and are part of the Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing program within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate at the agency’s Headquarters in Washington. For more information about NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/spacetech.

NASA is seeking input for a Space Food Systems Challenge with a target opening in September 2025. The challenge objective is to incentivize a complete space food system for a planetary surface that integrates a variety of food sources and associated technologies that meets the crew’s variable nutritional needs within the space environment. The Challenge will be executed over two levels of competition: Level 1 – Architectural Design & Framework, and Level 2 – Advanced Concepts.

NASA welcomes all segments of industry, academia, and government, including associations, innovators, and enthusiasts to reply to this RFI. This RFI is for informational/planning purposes only and the Government will not be responsible for any cost associated with preparing information in support of this RFI. This RFI is NOT to be construed as a commitment by the government to enter into any agreement or other obligation or to conduct the Challenge. This notice is issued in accordance with the NASA Prize Authority, 51 U.S.C. § 20144. Responses may be made available for public review and should not include proprietary information.

Submitted information will be shared within NASA and with contractor personnel associated with the competition. All responses are to be for general access by government reviewers.

For general information on the NASA Centennial Challenges program see:

http://www.nasa.gov/winit. The point of contact is Angela Herblet, Acting Deputy Program Manager, Centennial Challenges, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, email:

angela.m.herblet@nasa.gov.

BACKGROUND

For space exploration, the current food system is mainly made up of prepackaged foods that are prepared on the ground and shipped to the International Space Station (ISS). When humans return to the lunar surface, the early missions will continue to use prepackaged foods, however, preparing to extend the duration of lunar missions and sustaining the astronauts on transit and surface missions to Mars will require an independent and complete food system. Thus, examining the possibilities for the complete food system will need to consider options for the design and integration of different components, while also identifying steps for testing in http://www.nasa.gov/spacetech http://www.nasa.gov/winit mailto:angela.m.herblet@nasa.gov terrestrial environments, low-earth orbit and on the Moon for future applications on transit vehicles and in an eventual Mars habitat.

From 2021 to 2024, NASA successfully executed the Deep Space Food Challenge (https://www.nasa.gov/prizes-challenges-and-crowdsourcing/centennial-challenges/deep-space-food-challenge/) which focused on identifying individual technologies with potential to contribute to the overall food production system. The Challenge identified an opportunity to explore how different concepts and technologies could be combined and integrated into current support systems to provide a complete food system.

Solutions from this Challenge could influence the future state of an integrated food system that:

● Provides all variable nutritional needs for the crew

● Provides a variety of palatable and safe food choices

● Enables acceptable, safe, and quick preparation methods

● Considers the full spectrum of the food system from production and processing to preparation and storage

CHALLENGE DESCRIPTION

The Space Food System Challenge will seek to incentivize the design of a complete space food system for a planetary surface that integrates a variety of food sources and associated technologies that meets the crew’s variable nutritional needs within the space environment.

Challenge Conceptual Mission Scenario:

The structural framework for a Mars surface habitat has reached design maturity and is now prepared for integration with the comprehensive food production and management system.

The habitat infrastructure accommodates:

● Advanced bioregenerative food production systems and associated hardware

● Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) module with integrated resource recovery

● Nutrition center with food processing capabilities

● Multi-functional meal preparation and communal dining area

● Long-duration food storage and preservation systems

Proposed solutions will include integration with the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) and support a crew of 10-15 for sustained operations for a 5-year surface mission.

Constraints may include:

● Volume – constrained to the size of the room or space within the conceptual habitat.

● Power (Not to exceed) – any additional power needs would be specified and accompanied by a potential source.

● Variety of Food Sources – minimum number of food sources may be required.

https://www.nasa.gov/prizes-challenges-and-crowdsourcing/centennial-challenges/deep-space-food-challenge/ https://www.nasa.gov/prizes-challenges-and-crowdsourcing/centennial-challenges/deep-space-food-challenge/

● Mars Environmental Factors.

● Crew Time – crew size of 10-15, including one dedicated food systems engineer, and one nutrition and meal prep specialist.

Evaluation Criteria may include:

● Circularity of the System – includes waste recovery/reuse, water recovery/reuse and draw from and add to supporting systems (i.e. ECLSS).

● Autonomy – use of AI and automation of the systems.

● Safety – food safety and process safety including methods for prevention and detection of contaminants.

● Nutrition – provides for all the crew’s variable nutritional needs including carbohydrates, fats and proteins for calories, major minerals, essential amino acids, trace minerals and vitamins. Recognizes and addresses space-related nutrient needs.

● Acceptability – acceptability of the processes including cleaning, maintenance, harvesting and processing/preparation. And acceptability of the resulting foods including a variety of foods and options for diverse dietary considerations.

● Reliability – resilience and fault tolerance.

COMPETITION STRUCTURE & PRIZE AWARDS

NASA will execute the Space Food System Challenge across two levels of competition:

● Level 1: Architectural & System Design. Will require Teams to provide an architectural and system design that provides an integrated food system for a conceptual Mars habitat.

o Submission requirements may include a blueprint or layout of the designed space;

a concept of operations; functional walkthrough video; and proposed commercialization strategy including evidence for at least one terrestrial market.

o Up to 10 Teams will be selected to present to the Judging Panel.

o Up to 6 of those Teams will be selected as Finalists and proceed to Level 2.

o The Level 1 competition will last approximately 6 months.

● Level 2: Advanced Concepts. Finalist Teams will further refine and optimize their architectural and system design based on feedback from the evaluation process and submit final materials.

o Total Prize Purse: $250,000

▪ Up to One Overall Winner will receive $150,000

▪ Up to Two Runners Up will each receive $50,000 o The Level 2 Competition will last approximately 4-5 months.

After the NASA prizes have been awarded, the Challenge Allied Partner(s) may decide to adopt the responsibility of carrying further prototype development and demonstration activities forward as appropriate. This could include additional challenge phases and/or accelerator/incubator activities.

INFORMATION SOUGHT FROM RFI RESPONDERS

This RFI seeks feedback from potential competitors, partners, and technology stakeholders on the competition structure, prize amounts and distribution, and level of interest in competing in the Challenge.

Based upon responses to this RFI, NASA may decide to refine the Challenge concept, finalize a written rules document, and make the final decision to proceed with opening the Challenge. This will include specific milestones, entrance, review and acceptance criteria and prize award criteria. The final Rules will be released when the Challenge opens for registration and will be the official specification of the competition structure.

Responses on all sections are not required to submit a response, but more information will help with the overall formulation of the challenge. Specific requested information is as follows:

Interest & Readiness:

● Are you interested in participating in this competition?

● What type of skills do you think your team would need to compete?

o If you do not have the skills you think you need, where would you recruit individuals and/or organizations with those skills?

● What barriers limit your interest or ability to participate?

o How can these barriers be addressed in the timelines, requirements, and/or formulation of this Challenge?

● If not interested in competing, would you or your organization be interested in participating as a judge or partner?

● What channels could the Challenge be promoted through? For example, social media channels, groups, community of practice, etc.

● What actions could be taken to increase interest from potential competitors in following and participating in this Challenge?

Competition Structure and Awards:

● Are the competition timelines sufficient for forming a team and developing a submission?

● NASA is considering awarding up to $250,000 in prizes at the end of Level 2 of the competition.

Is this prize amount sufficient for the effort being asked of the Teams?

● Please comment on the award distribution structure being considered. Are there alternative approaches that would provide greater incentive to achieve the Challenge goals?

● What types of non-financial incentives would be valuable to you? For example, education, testing data, feedback from NASA, others.

o Why are these valuable to you?

Technical Requirements, Constraints and Criteria:

● Are the Challenge goals reasonable in relation to the schedule?

● This RFI proposes the ways NASA would like to achieve the Challenge goals. What are alternative ways you would recommend in order to achieve these goals?

● What additional constraints and/or evaluation criteria should be considered?

RESPONSES TO THE RFI

Responses to this RFI must be submitted no later than 11:59 pm Central Time on July 30, 2025.

To: HQ-STMD-CentennialChallenges@mail.nasa.gov CC: angela.m.herblet@nasa.gov Subject Line: “Space Food System Challenge RFI”

Responses should be submitted in Adobe PDF or Microsoft Word format and are limited to five (5) pages in length. Responses should include name, address, email address, and phone number of the responding team leader and include the registered team name.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Questions or requests specific to this RFI may be submitted prior to the closing date

To Ms. Angela Herblet at the following e-mail address:

TO: HQ-STMD-CentennialChallenges@mail.nasa.gov CC: angela.m.herblet@nasa.gov Subject Line: “Space Food System Challenge RFI”

No solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on SAM.gov. Interested firms are responsible for monitoring this website for the release of any solicitation or synopsis.

This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for information solicited.