A conference on Food in Space, entitled “Italian Food in Space: New technologies and traditional quality products for sustainability and nutritional well-being in outer space”. This is the event planned by the Italian Embassy in Luxembourg to celebrate the 6th edition of Italian Food in the World Week, dealing with “Tradition and prospects for Italian cuisine: awareness and valorisation of environmental sustainability”.
The conference, organised in collaboration with the CCIL (Italian – Luxembourgian Chamber of Commerce), will take place on 24 November and will draw from the Italian version of the Mediterranean Diet’s contribution to the wellbeing of astronauts, especially as regards sustainability of cultivation of food products on the future lunar base.
As the Ambassador to the Grand-Duchy, Diego Brasioli pointed out, “Our initiative draws inspiration from the numerous promotional activities integrated to date in the space sector, in light of the great collaboration between Italy and Luxembourg”.
“These,” he continued, “are the only two Countries in the European Union that are part of the Artemis project, a programme developed by NASA, commercial space flight companies in the United States, and other international partners, including the Italian and European Space Agencies (ASI and ESA). Its goal is to put the first lady and next man on the Moon by the end of 2024.”
The Artemis programme is the next step towards the long-term goal of establishing a self-sufficient human presence on the Moon, laying the basis for private companies to build up an economy based on the use of resources on the moon’s surface and, looking further ahead, preparing for landing humans on Mars.
Valentina Sumini (“Visiting Professor” at the Politecnico di Milano, “Research Affiliate” at MIT Media Lab) will present her studies to a specialist audience made up of economic and scientific operators, dealing with hydroponic greenhouses on the surfaces of the Moon and Mars, which won the recent “NASA Big Idea Challenge”.
For the occasion, Chef Ilario Mosconi of the (Michelin star) restaurant of the same name in Luxembourg, will offer an original “Food in Space” recipe, based on ingredients from a hydroponic greenhouse and cooked using special techniques, thereby promoting the nutritional profiles of the Italian culinary tradition, and the authentic quality of its products.
The astronaut Luca Parmitano, first Italian Commander of the International Space Station, will also address those present, talking about his personal experience of alimentary habits in orbit, and illustrating the challenges and new opportunities offered by space exploration.
The conference will be attended by Dr Simonetta Di Pippo, Director of the United Nations Office for Outer-Space Affairs, and Professor Antonino Salmeri from Luxembourg University.
Fabio Morvilli, President of the Italian-Luxembourgian Chamber of Commerce, pointed out that, “When it comes to the Italian System, along with the Italian Embassy CCIL promotes food in space, as well as implementation of artificial intelligence, a sector in which Luxembourg attracts many tried and tested businesses, as well as numerous start-ups, some of which originate in Italy”.
Institutional greetings will be extended by Giorgio Saccoccia, President of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), Marc Serres, President of the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA), and Cecilia Piccioni, Deputy Director General of the Country System / Central Director for promoting Italian culture and language with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, to stress the Country System’s action in promoting and safeguarding the Italian agro-alimentary sector, in conjunction with the sectors that have a high technological and scientific content.
