A groundbreaking venture, Space V, rooted in Genoa and Turin, is propelling humanity’s reach into space by fostering the growth of plants and vegetables in extraterrestrial environments. Founded as a spin-off from the Department of Mechanical, Energy, Festive, and Transport Engineering (DIME) at the Genoa School of Engineering, Space V emerges as a key player in the burgeoning space economy. With a primary focus on pioneering fresh food production in space, the startup aims to support sustainable human habitation beyond Earth’s confines.
Helmed by Franco Malerba, Italy’s inaugural astronaut and a seasoned engineer with a background in Thales Alenia Space management, Space V recently secured pre-seed financing from the Galaxia fund. This fund, established as a national technology transfer hub by CDP Venture Capital in collaboration with Obloo, underscores the growing interest in space-related ventures.
At the heart of Space V’s mission is the fusion of biology and robotics to devise innovative solutions for plant cultivation in space. By harnessing interdisciplinary expertise, the company endeavors to design and deploy equipment tailored to the unique challenges of extraterrestrial agriculture. Immediate goals include the development and testing of an adaptive greenhouse, slated for deployment aboard the International Space Station or forthcoming commercial space stations.
Established in 2021, Space V swiftly earned recognition as one of the pioneering Italian startups hosted at the ESA Bic (Business Incubation Center) within the Polytechnic of Turin’s I3P Incubator. This strategic partnership with the European Space Agency affords Space V access to the vibrant technological ecosystem of the Piedmont region, renowned for its prowess in space technologies.
Central to Space V’s innovation is its adaptive greenhouse technology, designed to optimize space utilization and resource efficiency. Unlike conventional fixed-shelf structures, Space V’s adaptive mechanism dynamically adjusts the available volume for each plant, ensuring maximal utilization of space. Through meticulous planning and innovative micro-conditioning systems, the company minimizes energy and water consumption while fostering optimal growth conditions for diverse plant species.
Franco Malerba elucidated, “We recognize the inadequacies of traditional astronaut diets, reliant on dehydrated provisions lacking essential nutrients. As we look towards future missions, including lunar settlements and Mars expeditions, the paradigm of ferrying all sustenance from Earth becomes untenable. Instead, we envision cultivating a variety of nutrient-rich plants in specialized space greenhouses, tailored to astronauts’ dietary needs.”
In envisioning the future, Malerba emphasized Space V’s commitment to developing a technologically advanced greenhouse capable of thriving in the complex and challenging space environment. With a vision for high yields, versatility in crop cultivation, and minimal resource consumption, Space V endeavors to pioneer ‘space agriculture’ for the benefit of humanity’s extraterrestrial endeavors.