EntoSpace: Insect-Based Food and Recycling for Space Colonization

Do insects have a role to play in the next phase of human space exploration?

I will answer this question by testing how cosmic radiation and microgravity affect the development of two of the most produced insect species for food, the yellow mealworm and the house cricket. Moreover, I will design and build a prototype of an insect farming unit, considering outer space requirements. With ESA as a sparring partner, this will pave the way for the inclusion of insects in ecosystem design for the future of human space exploration. It will also justify further research and experiments including insects on the International Space Station and beyond. Finally, new knowledge, designs and interest will result in further awareness of the potential of insects as food on Earth.