Astronauts could recycle their solid/liquid waste into protein paste

It tastes like the British sandwich spread Marmite.... Well this is, for me, a hard thing to contemplate, but I imagine like anything in life you get used to it.

We might sometimes talk about eating crap on a night in, but that’s nothing compared to the more literal crap future astronauts could well find themselves chowing down on. That’s thanks to researchers at Penn State University, who have been using a research grant from NASA to develop technology for breaking down solid and liquid waste, and transforming it into food that’s hygienic and safe for humans — albeit something you probably won’t be serving at a dinner party anytime soon. The resulting foodstuff is high in both protein and fat, and apparently not dissimilar to savory British sandwich spread, Marmite.

www.digitaltrends.com...



Penn State has a NASA grant to turn #1 and #2 to the paste. There is a technical process that is used to turn the organic material into good eats.

“In our reactor, this plastic media provided a surface for the bacteria to attach so the waste material could flow through the reactor and past these microbial biofilms, where the attached microbes would remove organic matter and other nutrients,” Steinberg told Digital Trends. “A special group of bacteria in the reactor, named methanogens, produce methane which we used to grow methylococcus capsulatus, a methane-consuming microbe. Using the gas from the anaerobic reactor allowed us to prevent the transfer of potential pathogens or other unwanted microbes into the reactor growing M. capsulatus.”

The project is concluded, and this could be the end of this idea. But this could solve a pretty hard problem of food on deep space flight.

Sadly, the project is currently concluded and Steinberg says “there is nothing else planned,” although she noted that it could be picked up by another research team wanting to continue the work.

No pics of the paste, wonder what color it is?

a reply to: seasonal

eew, sorry but just eew

originally posted by: BlueJacket
a reply to: seasonal

eew, sorry but just eew

Pretty solid ICK factor....



But I bet there will be a line out the door to be an astronaut, so you got to eat some recycled schit, no bigy.

Mmmmmff..

I wonder how many times it can go in and out.. before getting sour ?

a reply to: seasonal

I have a name for it already....Covfefe

Mix it with a little bull **** and you got your self a meal. And not just for breakfast anymore!!

originally posted by: olaru12
a reply to: seasonal

I have a name for it already....Covfefe

Oh this is fantastic! LOL!

a reply to: seasonal

So they are using methane generated from waste to grow a microbe. This isn't thr dame as turning waist into food and nothing new. Every septic tank in the world has to release methane or blow up lol.

Making me second guess my peanut butter sandwich's.

Gives new meaning the military slang for some of their food "$h#% on a shingle".

I can already hear the astronauts, "This food tastes like crap!"

Literally.

I love marmite sign me up for two buckets of the slop.

Reading the title almost made me want to puke. If they pull that crap, they will have way less people wanting to be astronauts.

a reply to: seasonal
Marmite is a yeast extract. Hardly a similar process.

a reply to: DISRAELI

The story is talking about the flavor being the same, not the process of making the gunk.

a reply to: seasonal
The current advertising slogan is "You either love it or you hate it". Perhaps the astronauts will feel the same way.

a reply to: seasonal

I love marmite...eat about a jar every couple weeks. But I don't think I'll be trying this.

a reply to: rickymouse

I would eat unfiltered baby poop to go into space.

originally posted by: testingtesting
a reply to: rickymouse

I would eat unfiltered baby poop to go into space.

At least your honest, you might not pass the intelligence test they require though.

a reply to: rickymouse

I think it is the only way I may be able to go. Elon Musk If you are reading I will eat baby poop if you send me to space.
Lots of love A.Idiot.

Two astronauts one cup
Can you imagine people complain about airline food? Okay I'll see myself out thanks