NASA kicks off Mars-to-Table challenge to design self-sufficient space meals

NASA launches the Mars-to-Table Deep Space Food Challenge, inviting global teams to design a complete, Earth-independent food system for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars, with a prize pool up to $750,000. Submissions must include a full meal plan, operations and system design that balance nutrition, safety, and compatibility with life-support systems. The effort aims to feed astronauts beyond Earth supplies and could also spur food-security innovations for Earth-bound, remote settings.