#169: How NASA is Growing Food in Space with Gioia Massa

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we speak with Gioia Massa, Senior Project Scientist for Space Crop Production at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, about how NASA is preparing to grow food on the Moon, Mars, and future deep-space missions. As human space exploration moves beyond short-duration missions, reliable food production will become a critical component of life support systems. Gioia explains the science behind space agriculture, including how researchers are overcoming challenges such as microgravity, radiation, water management, and limited resources while testing crops aboard the International Space Station and developing future lunar and Martian growing systems. The conversation explores how plants can provide food, oxygen, and psychological benefits for astronauts, as well as how technologies developed for space farming are already influencing vertical farming and sustainable food production on Earth.

• Check out NASA’s show: Houston, We Have a Podcast
• More episodes from Earthlings 2.0 on space exploration:
• #55 – Hyperspectral Satellite Data Putting Many Eyes on the Earth
• #18 – The Recycler for Spaceship Earth with Brittany Zimmerman
• #15 – Space Inc.

Key Points:

• NASA is developing agricultural systems for future Moon and Mars missions – Researchers are testing how crops grow in microgravity and preparing experiments to support long-duration human exploration beyond Earth.
• Plants serve as more than just food in space habitats – Crops can help absorb carbon dioxide, produce oxygen, and support astronaut well-being, making them an important part of future life support systems.
• Space agriculture is shaping the future of farming on Earth – Research conducted for space missions has contributed to advances in LED grow lights, hydroponics, vertical farming, controlled environment agriculture, and resource-efficient food production.

• Gioia Massa, Senior Project Scientist for Space Crop Production at NASA's Kennedy Space Center , LinkedIn

• Lisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications , CEO and Founder of PRVIEW , and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability , LinkedIn