HEALTH · VERIFIED DEVELOPMENT
NASA Awards $7 Million for 12 New Space‑Crop and Health Studies
WHY IT MATTERS
These studies will provide the biological knowledge and tools needed to grow food, safeguard astronaut health, and build reliable life‑support systems for long‑duration missions to the Moon and Mars.
What happened
NASA announced the selection of 12 new investigations to support human exploration. Six focus on producing food off‑planet, studying edible plants, microbial communities, resurrection plants, and algae genetics. The other six target astronaut health, examining lunar dust effects, drug repurposing, radiation stressors, and molecular changes.
Principal investigators come from 10 institutions; nine are first‑time recipients. Funding of more than $7 million will be distributed through fiscal years 2026‑2030 under the ROSES‑2024 program.
The studies aim to enhance life‑support systems, reduce health risks, and develop early‑warning detection for crew. They represent a coordinated effort to apply biological research in space to enable sustainable lunar and Mars missions.
DEVELOPING STORY
Story timeline
PRIMARY SOURCES
New Crops, Health Research Proposals to Help NASA Advance Exploration
NASA · NASA media usage guidelines; third-party material excluded