Güntner’s cooling tech powers NASA’s mission to grow food on the Moon

Since 2017, NASA and DLR have been testing a self-sustaining greenhouse at the Neumayer III research station in Antarctica, where extreme conditions mimic those of space. Credit: Hanno Müller

As humanity aims for the stars, the challenge of feeding astronauts on long-term space missions is one of the most pressing issues. NASA’s Artemis IV programme, aiming to land humans on the Moon by 2028, and private companies like SpaceX are laying the groundwork for humanity’s eventual colonisation of Mars. But before venturing beyond the Moon, space agencies need to tackle the complex problem of growing food in space.

It appears that NASA and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) have been working on a solution for some time.

Simulating space farming in Antarctica

Mimicking the harshest conditions of space. Credit: Hanno Müller

Since 2017, NASA and DLR have been testing a self-sustaining greenhouse at the Neumayer III research station in Antarctica, where extreme conditions mimic those of space. The project, part of the EDEN ISS initiative, aims to develop efficient ways to grow fresh produce for astronauts on long-duration space missions.

Vincent Vrakking of the EDEN Research Group at DLR explains:

In the future, a closed-loop greenhouse such as this could provide food for astronauts while also assisting with air revitalisation, as well as water recycling, thereby reducing the amount of resupply which needs to be provided from Earth.”

NASA scientist Jess Bunchek is leading experiments inside the facility, testing how astronauts could cultivate lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and herbs with minimal time and energy. Every day, she monitors the crops, assessing how greenhouse technologies and plant varieties perform under extreme conditions.

The surprising need for cooling in freezing conditions

Despite Antarctic temperatures plummeting to -50°C, the greenhouse requires a highly specialised cooling system. The powerful lighting and electrical equipment generate heat, which must be precisely controlled to maintain optimal growing conditions.

Vrakking adds:

The cooling system is very important. We need to have accurate control over the amount of heat that is removed from the facility, to maintain the optimum air temperature and humidity levels.”

That’s where Güntner came in. Jan Levin, former Branch Manager at Frigotechnik in Bremen, recalls his initial disbelief when approached about the project:

When they first contacted me, they said they wanted to meet in person and explain the project. We went for a coffee and when they started talking about simulating weather conditions on the Moon, at first I thought they were joking.”

Levin connected with Güntner’s technical team, who developed a custom cooling solution: a modified version of the Güntner Flat COMPACT Dry Cooler. The technical challenge was immense, designing a system that could handle both extreme cold and internal heat fluctuations.

To ensure continuous operation, they developed a specialised lubrication system for the fan and motor bearings, carefully selecting a grease that maintained its viscosity at extremely low temperatures to prevent bearing failure while remaining fluid at higher temperatures to ensure proper adhesion.

Additionally, they implemented low-temperature protection for the system’s cables to prevent brittleness and breakage, along with a dedicated heating system for the electronic components to safeguard them from freezing.

Beyond space: potential for Earth

The Güntner cooling system has been running without failure in Antarctica for over four years without a hitch. Given the cost of repairs in such a remote location, failure was not an option.

Beyond space missions, the research could also have important applications on Earth. Vrakking believes lessons from EDEN ISS may help design resilient greenhouses for extreme climates — such as deserts, polar regions, or areas affected by natural disasters — helping to improve global food security.

Whether it’s for the Moon, Mars, or Earth’s most extreme environments, the research is helping to bring the dream of self-sustaining space colonies one step closer to reality.