Growing food in space could assist in human colonization

Survival of fittest may apply beyond Earth, but chances are small for real success on moon, Zhang Lei reports in Beijing.

Space, in the words of Captain James T. Kirk, is the final frontier. However, although the human colonization of space is central to the dreams of many aficionados of science fiction, only the most fanatical would contend that humans will achieve that ambition anytime soon.

The problems are manifold, ranging from solar radiation and frigid temperatures to the provision of adequate supplies of oxygen, food and water. Supplying space stations is almost prohibitively expensive. The United States spends between $10,000 and $100,000 to transport every kilogram of food it sends into space, and the huge distances between Earth and our nearest neighbors would render a resupply program almost impossible, even if humans were able to establish successful settlements outside Earth's atmosphere.