Sustaining Life,
One Leaf at a Time.
2
innovating astronaut nutrition
for long-duration space missions
Awarded by NASA
We are supported by a seed fund from NASA L’SPACE
Duckweed Labs is developing a compact Duckweed Protein Supplement Dispenser (DPSD) that leverages the plant’s rapid growth and high protein content to sustain astronauts on long-duration missions. This same innovation will soon support communities on Earth facing food scarcity.
Engineering Innovation
ONGOING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
A compact, low-maintenance system that supplies fresh protein and essential nutrients in microgravity.
Plant Biology
ONGOING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Yum… A renewable source of nutrition that cuts reliance on costly resupply missions, supports astronaut health, advances NASA’s goals for sustainable exploration and tastes great!
Growing the Food of the Future
ONGOING RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Benefitting astronauts, future space travelers and communities on Earth facing food scarcity.
We are a dynamic, multi-institutional team with expertise in engineering, logistics, life sciences, and creative design. Led by Principal Investigator Thomas Liu, our group includes PhD candidates, military veterans, award-winning creatives, and medical students—all united by a passion for space exploration. Together, we are engineering an efficient, sustainable solution for astronaut nutrition, and beyond.
Founding Contributors & Acknowledgements
Benjamin Sandow, Lead Systems Engineer | Nicole Roberson, Program Scheduler |
Roy Zhou, Bioengineer | Seongmi Song, Kinesiology & Biomedical Engineer | Natalia Rosado, Mechanical Engineer | Carol Reji, Fluid Dynamics Engineer
