Science Dallas Express Media NASA Launches “Mars To Table” Challenge To Build Earth-Independent Food Systems For Deep Space

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NASA has officially opened a major international competition aimed at solving one of the most fundamental challenges of long-duration space exploration: building a complete food system that could sustain astronauts on the surface of Mars or the Moon without heavy dependence on Earth.

The Deep Space Food Challenge: Mars to Table, announced by NASA on January 13, 2026, invites multidisciplinary teams — including scientists, engineers, food experts, chefs, students, and citizen innovators — to design fully integrated food systems capable of meeting all dietary and operational needs of long-term planetary missions.

The challenge comes as NASA advances its Moon-to-Mars strategy through the Artemis program, which aims to establish sustained human operations beyond low Earth orbit.

A shift from cargo to infrastructure

Traditional space missions carry pre-packaged food from Earth. For multi-year missions to Mars or sustained lunar surface operations, NASA says that approach is unsustainable.

“In the future, exploration missions will grow in both duration and distance from Earth. This will make the critical question of feeding our astronauts more complex, requiring innovative solutions to allow for long-term human exploration of space,” said Greg Stover, acting associate administrator of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate.

NASA frames the Mars to Table Challenge as a shift in mindset — from viewing food as cargo to treating it as mission-critical infrastructure.

Competitors are asked to design systems that cover all stages of the food life cycle: production, processing, preparation, storage, and waste management.

Teams must deliver solutions that:

• Provide 100% of daily nutritional needs for crew members

• Operate as an integrated, end-to-end system

• Limit Earth-provided food to no more than 50% of total system mass

• Integrate with life support systems to maximize reuse and efficiency

“Future crews on the Moon and Mars will need food systems that are nutritious, sustainable, and fully independent from Earth. Food will play a pivotal role in the overall health and happiness of future deep space explorers,” said Jarah Meador, program executive for NASA’s Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing Program.

NASA underscores that such systems must consider not only calories and nutrients but also taste, safety, variety, morale, and operational usability under extreme constraints.

Global competition with practical spillovers

NASA has allocated up to $750,000 in prizes for U.S. teams, including:

• $300,000 for first place

• $200,000 for second place

• $100,000 for third place

• Category awards of $50,000 each for specific achievements

International teams are eligible to participate and be recognized, though prize money goes only to U.S. teams.

Beyond space exploration, NASA highlights terrestrial benefits. Systems designed for extreme environment self-sufficiency could improve food access in remote or resource-limited areas on Earth, including disaster zones, military operations, polar research stations, and regions with fragile supply chains.

“This challenge isn’t just about feeding astronauts; it’s about feeding people anywhere,” said Jennifer Edmunson, acting program manager for NASA’s Centennial Challenges. “By solving for Mars and future planetary expeditions, we can also find solutions for Earth.”

Timeline and next steps

Registration for the Mars to Table Challenge opened January 13, 2026 and will remain open through July 31, 2026, according to NASA’s official challenge page. Teams are expected to spend roughly seven months developing their system concepts, with intermediate deliverables due in May and final submissions due in August 2026. Winners are anticipated to be announced in September 2026.

NASA positions the Mars to Table Challenge as part of its broader Moon-to-Mars exploration strategy, which includes the Artemis program and long-term planning for sustained human presence beyond low Earth orbit.