[db48x]

I agree that patents on this are likely to stifle most of the advantages, but not that this would create more problems than solutions.

For one thing, it greatly changes the calculus of a Mars mission. A long–term Mars mission needs food, and growing that food on Mars seems like an obvious choice at first glance. But reliably growing food on Mars requires some fairly sophisticated technology: LED lighting, fine automatic control of atmospheric gasses (otherwise the O₂ from the plants would rapidly become a huge fire risk), similar for the water, refrigeration, and an extra large power plant to run it all. Up until now it looked like it would be cheaper to make regular shipments of food and water from Earth to Mars than it would be to make regular shipments of spare parts to keep all of that machinery working. A 50% increase in calories per square foot means that you only need 67% as much machinery, and therefore only 67% as many spare parts.

Even if this created no other benefits, which I find hard to believe, it would be worth it just for a successful Mars mission.

[BiteCode_dev]

Oh sure, I don't say to toss the tech on the trash. I'm just saying it won't solve world food current problems.

Although I'm skeptical for mars, bigger plants will deplete their substrate very fast, it could be a limiter.