Solar Foods Oyj, press release 3 November 2025 at 12.10 EET
Solar Foods to develop Solein® production technology for testing onboard the International Space Station
Solar Foods has signed a contract with OHB System AG, a major European space and technology company, on the development of a small-scale Solein® gas fermentation technology pilot with the aim of eventually testing the technology onboard the International Space Station. The project is funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) under its Terrae Novae Exploration Programme and it aims to develop a prototype of the Solein production technology suitable for zero-gravity operations, accelerating Solar Foods' development of its space food production technology. The company aims for its technology to become integral to human space habitats.
The project HOBI-WAN (Hydrogen Oxidizing Bacteria In Weightlessness As a source of Nutrition) follows Solar Foods' successfully completed initial technology development project with ESA. The first eight-month phase of the project will develop a so-called science model, a ground-based version of the Solein production technology which will provide the scientific results and verify fundamental questions that are needed to develop the eventual flight model. If the first phase is successful, the follow-up phase will focus on the development of the flight model with the aim of launching it to the International Space Station (ISS).
"This would be the first time we will be able to verify that our technology works in space. The aim of the project is to confirm that our organism grows in the space environment as it does on the ground, and to develop the fundamentals of gas fermentation technology to be used in space - something that has never been done before in the history of humankind. The behavior of gases and liquids in microgravity is vastly different due to lack of buoyancy which can drastically affect the transport of nutrients and gases for Solein microbes. Gas safety is also of great importance, given that mixtures of Hydrogen and Oxygen gases are present", says Arttu Luukanen, Senior Vice President Space & Defence at Solar Foods.
The project will be performed in close collaboration with OHB, a major European space integrator with decades of experience flying experiments in space.
"We are truly happy that we get to collaborate with OHB. Their expertise of evaluation and certification especially with respect to mandatory safety requirements will help us design a system that is suitable for the space environment, provides the needed data and most importantly can be safely operated onboard a manned space station", Luukanen continues.
"At OHB, we have been developing, operating and maintaining scientific payloads for the International Space Station for over two decades. Our deep understanding of the ISS environment, combined with our experience in life support and scientific experiment platforms, makes us uniquely positioned to bring Solar Foods' Solein technology into orbit. This mission is about more than just testing a novel protein source - it's about exploring how we can sustainably support human life in space. The insights we gain here could also help address global challenges on Earth, such as resource scarcity and food security. We are proud to contribute our expertise to a project that connects space innovation with planetary sustainability", says Jürgen Kempf, HOBI-WAN Project Manager at OHB.
Promising solution for future space explorers
Last year, Solar Foods was selected as the international category winner of NASA's and CSA's (Canadian Space Agency) Deep Space Food Challenge, strengthening the company's position as a promising solution provider for future space explorers. The Solein production technology offers an attractive value add to commercial space habitat operators through substantial reduction in resupply needs of food and especially water, in addition to providing a fresh source of nutritious protein onboard.
The company's aim is to integrate the Solein fermentation technology with the onboard life support systems of future commercial space stations as well as future surface habitats on the Moon and eventually on Mars. Earlier this year, Solar Foods appointed Starlab Space CEO and former NASA astronaut Tim Kopra as an advisor for the company's space applications to support the development and commercialisation of its solution. As part of the collaboration, the company is creating a technology development roadmap, identifying strategic collaboration and funding platforms, and reviewing the business plan and earnings model.
The contract with OHB was preceded by an open competition invitation to tender from ESA, where Solar Foods was identified as a mandatory subcontractor. In all, Solar Foods prepared five tenders with five different prime contractors from the European space industry, and ultimately OHB's and Solar Foods' tender was selected.
"The interest in this invitation to tender by so many prime contractors was overwhelming. It serves as an indicator that Solein and Solar Foods are on the radar scope of major space players as well as ESA. This project is just the beginning - We are working towards reaching operational capability: being able to produce Solein in a range of production scales in space. Our vision is that by 2035, Solein is the mainstay protein of space explorers. To reach that vision, several steps of technology maturation are necessary, and this project represents a major milestone on that journey", Luukanen continues.
*The project (contract number 4000149550/25/NL/AT with OHB System AG "HOBI-WAN Phase A/B") is carried out under a programme of, and funded by, the European Space Agency. The views expressed in this press release can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Space Agency.
Additional information:
Arttu Luukanen, Senior Vice President, Space & Defence, arttu.luukanen@solarfoods.com, tel. +358 10 579 3287
Images for editorial use: www.solarfoods.com/media
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What is Solein?
Solein is an all-purpose protein grown with the air we breathe: The unique bioprocess takes a single microbe, one of the billion different ones found in nature, and grows it by fermenting it using air and electricity. Solein is a nutritionally rich and versatile ingredient which can replace protein virtually in any food. Solein can also be used as a fortifier to complement the nutritional profile of various foods: it can be a source of iron, fibre and B vitamins, and it can also bring different techno-functionalities into food products. Learn more at www.solein.com.
About Solar Foods
Solar Foods produces Solein®, a protein created using carbon dioxide and electricity. This innovative production method is independent of weather and climate conditions, eliminating the need for traditional agriculture. Founded in Finland in 2017, Solar Foods is listed on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland. Learn more at www.solarfoods.com and investors.solarfoods.com.
OHB System AG is the largest subsidiary of the German space and technology group OHB SE and one of the three leading providers of space systems in Europe. Headquartered in Bremen and with a second strong location in Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich, OHB System AG has more than 40 years of experience in the development of high-tech solutions for space missions and other applications. The product and service portfolio focuses on the realization of satellite systems for Earth observation, navigation, telecommunications and reconnaissance and is supplemented by the design and implementation of scientific missions for the exploration of our solar system as well as projects for human space flight. www.ohb.de
The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe's gateway to space.
ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe's space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. ESA has 23 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia are Associate Members. ESA has established formal cooperation with four Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement. By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions. Learn more about ESA at www.esa.int.
