The goal is to further work by Stanford University and a number of Israeli institutions that applies synthetic biology to stabilize chickpea growth in small ecosystems—with the hopes of eventually sustaining growth on lunar settlements. The chickpea was chosen both for its robustness and its popularity of hummus in Israeli cuisine.
Israeli astronaut Eytan Stibbe and his team will conduct a total of 33 experiments when they head to the ISS in February 2022. An evaluation of Aleph Farm’s cultivated meat process for stem cell differentiation potential and rate of cell division in space will also be undertaken.
“I’m excited to be here, but I think that it’s particularly exciting for the scientists whose experiments will take the spotlight,” Stibbe tells CTech. “Israeli technologies will appear on the highest stage in the world that orbits the Earth, where everyone can constantly see them, and I believe that alone is a remarkable achievement.”