Bridging the Gap: The Rise of Space Sector Farming
Our series Bridging the Gap is a deep dive into the industries and adjacent sectors that align with space and provide innovative solutions to pressing current issues. In today’s article we explore farming and the agricultural potential that lies in the use of space technology and data, on earth and beyond.
Climate Change and Agriculture
In an era of climate change and a burgeoning global population, the challenges confronting food production are becoming increasingly daunting. Crop yields are dwindling, and essential natural resources like soil, water, and biodiversity are stretched perilously thin. Adding to these concerns, agriculture is acutely susceptible to the impacts of climate change, with rising temperatures, erratic weather patterns, encroaching agro-ecosystem boundaries, invasive species, and more frequent extreme weather events all wreaking havoc on the sector. Furthermore, the problem is not one-sided, as agriculture significantly contributes to the climate crisis, accounting for 19–29% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Space-based technology holds immense value for farmers, agronomists, food manufacturers, and agricultural policymakers, all aiming to boost production and profitability in the agricultural sector. Through the use of remote sensing satellites, crucial data is obtained for monitoring soil conditions, snow cover, drought patterns, and crop development.
These satellites enable farmers to plan their irrigation schedules efficiently, leveraging rainfall assessments to determine the right timing and quantity of water required for their crops. Access to accurate information and in-depth analysis also allows for early prediction of a region's agricultural output, playing a pivotal role in anticipating and mitigating potential food shortages and famines.
US based company EOS Data Analytics joined forces with non-profit organisation AgGateway to provide farmers with valuable insights into their agricultural operations using satellite imagery and data.
Earlier this year, the company successfully launched the first of seven satellites, each specifically engineered to support the implementation of sustainable agriculture practices and monitor forestlands through data-driven analysis. With an ambitious vision, EOS Data Analytics aims to have all seven satellites fully operational by the year 2025, empowering farmers with cutting-edge tools for sustainable and data-backed decision-making.
Beyond earth however, space farming holds a different kind of potential. With food scarcity becoming a reality, the potential to launch agricultural farming on alternative soils is on the horizon. The concept of space farming is not entirely new. Astronauts have been growing plants aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since the early 2000s. However, the idea of establishing agriculture on the Moon, Mars, or other planets takes this concept to a whole new level.
The potential benefits of space sector farming range from self-sufficiency in space exploration missions, securing food resources independent of Earth, relieving the pressure on Earth’s ecosystem and improved farming practices and higher yields.
A truly fascinating aspect of innovation within the space industry, it will be interesting to see where this will take the future of agriculture, after all, who doesn’t love food that is out of this world. We are committed to enhancing opportunities for startups on the brink of innovation who wish to enter the space sector from adjacent sectors through our UK Space Agency Accelerator programmes.
We are currently open for applications for our Explore programme, a 9-week accelerator sprint designed to give you a burst of pace in a short space of time and is perfect for those making their first steps into the commercial space industry. Apply now for a chance to be a part of the next cohort. The programme will begin on 25th September and run until 1st December 2023.