Efficient Foods

listmgr@quest.arc.nasa.gov wrote:

QUESTION:

If we were to set up a Mars colony what kind of food would we grow, or raise or what?

 

ANSWER from Andrew Petro on November 2, 1999:

I'm not an expert on food production on Mars but I think we could raise most kinds of plants and animals if there were enclosed, airtight areas in a Mars base. Fish might be a good option and maybe algae and seaweed-type things that could be artificially processed into food for people or for animals. It will have to be an efficient food production method because water will probably always be in limited supply on Mars. The Biosphere II project in Arizona is looking at growing plants in an enclosed area. You might look for more information on that.