Redwire Corporation, a global leader in space and defence technology solutions, announced that it has been awarded a contract from Astrobiome Space S.à r.l., a Luxembourg-based biotech company pioneering microbiome solutions for regenerative space agriculture, to grow strawberries and test Astrobiome Space’s proprietary soil enhancement product inside Redwire’s Greenhouse systems on board the International Space Station (ISS). This award marks the inaugural flight for Redwire’s trailblazing Greenhouse system, the world’s first commercial space greenhouse.
The Redwire Greenhouse provides a simple, scalable commercial solution for customers seeking to advance crop science from benchtop laboratory facilities to true production in space. Along with supporting long-term NASA exploration plans, the Redwire Greenhouse will also provide unprecedented research opportunities for institutional and commercial customers with various plant science and industrial research goals. The Greenhouse leverages flight-qualified plant growth technology, including the Passive Orbital Nutrient Delivery System (PONDS) devices developed in partnership with Tupperware Brands and currently operated by Redwire on the ISS.
For this inaugural mission, Astrobiome Space's biostimulant, developed from microbes adapted to the extreme space environments, will be used to grow the first wild strawberries ever cultivated in orbit. The product is expected to enhance the fruit's natural resilience and nutrient density, including higher levels of vitamin C, potassium, flavonoids, polyphenols and antioxidants, bringing orbital crops closer to the quality of wild-grown produce on Earth. Astrobiome Space will begin growing test crops in the Greenhouse system on Earth in June, in preparation for the ISS flight.
“This contract with Astrobiome Space marks an exciting step forward in advancing critical technology for sustainable life-support systems beyond Earth,” said Marc Dielissen, Executive Vice-President of Redwire Europe. “With our Greenhouse platform, we are not only enabling fundamental research, but we are also demonstrating the practical cultivation of fresh food in space—including crops such as strawberries and fungi. These capabilities are essential as we prepare for long-duration missions and future habitats, while also generating valuable insights to improve agricultural practices here on Earth.”
"I dream of going to Mars knowing I can still taste the Earth," said Vera Mulyani, Founder and CEO of Astrobiome Space. "The first strawberry grown in space will be tiny, but its flavor will carry the whole story of the forest and the turning seasons. With Astrobiome®, we carry the living wilderness of our planet wherever we go.”
Redwire Europe is a leader in cutting-edge microgravity research and life support technologies, working with trailblazing government, commercial, and academic researchers, including the European Space Agency. Redwire’s Luxembourg facility designs and develops advanced robotic arm systems that support a wide range of mission needs, including satellite servicing, refueling, payload management, and in-space manufacturing. The facility’s engineering expertise also drives innovations in debris capture and other emerging on-orbit servicing applications.
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