A disappointing end for the Canada GOOSE.
But the work over the last couple years during the Deep Space Food Challenge won’t soon be forgotten at the University of Guelph and beyond its walls.
“The Canada GOOSE chamber that we developed embodies everything we’ve learned over the last quarter century in the program (at U of G),” said Mike Dixon, the director of the controlled environment systems research facility.
“The space exploration, life support program. It sort of ticks all the boxes of exploiting technology for harsh environment food production.”
The food chamber built by U of G students was one of four finalists in the multi-year competition hosted by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
The four-tiered illuminated chamber was able to house a variety of food being grown.
That includes lettuce, tomatoes, micro and macro-greens, peppers, mustard seeds and more.
The goal of the competition was to develop something that could be placed and operate in either space or desolate areas, such as Canada’s north.
CANGrow, a modular indoor food production system built by the Vancouver-based Ecoation Innovative Solutions, won the competition and its $380,000 grand prize.
Dixon said the team was invited to bring the Canada GOOSE chamber prototype to the CSA headquarters in Saint Hubert, Quebec to display with the other finalists.
“Ultimately, it will live here (at U of G) and be a fixture,” he said. “We’ve got dozens of various sizes and configurations of controlled environment chambers.”
