A Polish astronaut will test special yeast aboard the International Space Station, aiming to help humans living on the Moon and Mars in the future to grow their own food.
Spaceman Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski will conduct the experiment on the ISS as part of Poland’s first-ever space mission, which NASA has confirmed will launch no earlier than May 2025.
The yeast he will test was genetically modified by a research team from the western Polish cities of Poznań, Szczecin and Katowice.
They added a tardigrade gene, hoping to improve the yeast’s resilience in microgravity and extreme environments.
Tardigrades, also known as water bears, are microscopic creatures famous for surviving extreme heat, radiation and even the vacuum of space. If successful, the experiment could pave the way for using yeast as a bioreactor to produce food as well as fuel.
The research is part of a broader initiative focused on sustaining long-term human presence on the Moon and Mars.
Scientists aim to develop biological systems that can generate essential resources in space, reducing dependence on Earth-based supplies.
Uznański-Wiśniewski’s mission will last 16 days and will include additional scientific tests developed by Polish researchers in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA).
According to Poland’s Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, the experiments will open new opportunities for Polish scientists and businesses in space research.
