By Shelli Brunswick*

Space technology is at the forefront of our global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. This pivotal field reaches beyond the stars, impacting critical areas such as agriculture, water and energy. The innovations derived from space exploration do more than transform our daily lives; they propel economic growth and forge robust global collaborations. Space technology is indispensable in crafting a sustainable future, showing us that the sky is not the limit but the beginning of what we can achieve together.

Revolutionizing Global Agriculture

Space-based technology, such as remote sensing satellites, is indispensable for monitoring environmental factors that affect agriculture. They provide essential data on soil conditions, droughts and crop growth, enabling farmers to make informed decisions about irrigation and fertilization, thereby optimizing crop yields and resource use.

NASA Harvest, a global consortium, leverages Earth Observations (EO) satellite data to enhance worldwide food security, agriculture and environmental resilience. Collaborating with farmers, agribusinesses, economists and policymakers, this initiative uses EO data to assess food security, reduce market volatility and monitor global crop productivity.

Dr. Catherine Nakalembe, the 2020 Africa Food Prize Laureate and a member of the Harvest Hub team at the University of Maryland, boosts agricultural productivity, especially for small-scale farmers, by improving agricultural practices and policies and increasing resilience against climate variability. Her work demonstrates the profound impact of targeted satellite data on global agriculture and sustainability.

NASA’s research into closed-environment plant growth is advancing both space missions and Earth-based indoor farming. Technologies like vertical farming are enhancing urban agricultural productivity. IntraVision Group’s GravityFlow closed-environment growth system, one of the largest indoor farming operations, has the potential to produce over a million pounds of produce annually at just a single facility. Gioia Massa, life sciences project manager at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, emphasizes that NASA pioneers new technologies and approaches, supporting early-stage development that, if commercially viable, is adopted by industry.

The Global Positioning System (GPS) further revolutionizes agriculture by enhancing farm management through precise field mapping, soil sampling and yield mapping. Integrating space technology into farming ensures efficient resource use and reduces environmental impact, supporting sustainable agricultural practices. The growth of precision farming, projected to reach a market value of $20.36 billion by 2032, underscores its importance in addressing global food demand and sustainability.

Water Management

Space innovation revolutionizes clean water and sanitation by enhancing water quality monitoring and infrastructure support. The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) Space4Water Portal, a multi-stakeholder platform, facilitates interdisciplinary knowledge exchange and strengthens connections between space technologies and water management. It provides essential data, training materials and a collaborative network dedicated to leveraging space-based solutions to tackle global water challenges, particularly benefiting stakeholders in developing countries.

Space technology also significantly advances water purification. For instance, water remediation systems developed for the International Space Station (ISS) to recycle and reuse water sustainably have been adapted for use on Earth, aiding regions with limited access to clean water. This includes NASA’s Ammonia Recovery System, which effectively reduces ammonia levels in wastewater to less than 1 part per million, providing a scalable solution for improving water quality in various industrial and municipal contexts.

Additionally, NASA’s collaboration with a Swedish university led to the creation of the world’s first water-recycling shower. This system uses less than a gallon of water and recirculates it to provide a higher flow rate than conventional showers while ensuring the recycled water is cleaner than tap water, thanks to NanoCeram filter technology and ultraviolet light purification.

NASA has further explored water-treatment technologies, such as a membrane incorporating aquaporins—natural proteins that transport water efficiently through cell membranes while excluding other substances. Developed by Danish company Aquaporin A/S, this technology is applied in various contexts, from enhancing wastewater treatment facilities to processing untreated wastewater. Aquaporin’s forward osmosis technique enables highly selective water filtration, drawing fresh water from wastewater, and is now being adopted globally.

Energy And Storage

As global demand for renewable energy grows, space technologies are vital for enhancing energy access and sustainability. Satellites monitor critical energy infrastructure, aid power grid synchronization and support seismic surveying. They help identify optimal sites for renewable energy production and are crucial in forecasting solar and wind energy, enhancing the reliability of these intermittent energy sources and their integration into national grids.

A notable advancement is NASA’s technology that indefinitely powers subsea robots by harnessing ocean temperature differentials. This supports oceanic research and enhances the autonomy of underwater equipment, reducing the need for frequent maintenance and cutting operational costs.

Space technology also facilitates the mining of Helium-3 on the Moon, a potential nuclear fusion fuel that offers a clean, abundant energy source. It promises to revolutionize Earth’s energy systems without the environmental impacts associated with current sources and support a lunar economy.

Additionally, advancements in solar panel technology from space research have improved solar energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness, supporting the development of space-based solar power systems. These systems could one day harvest solar energy in space and transmit it back to Earth, providing a steady energy source.

Furthermore, NASA’s research on flow batteries has led to significant advancements in energy storage solutions. ESS Inc. has utilized this research to store energy for up to 12 hours and discharge it when needed, effectively supporting renewable energy grids and enhancing energy sustainability.

Conclusion

Integrating space technology into sustainable efforts is not merely a possibility but an imperative. By boosting agricultural productivity, securing clean water and advancing renewable energy, space technology is fundamental to achieving the SDGs. As we delve deeper into the cosmos, the innovations and knowledge we gather bring invaluable benefits to Earth, propelling us toward a more sustainable and thriving future. Let us embrace this journey, channeling our collective ingenuity and resolve to harness space for the greater good of our planet. Together, we can transcend traditional boundaries, forging a path of sustainability that benefits all of humanity.

Source: Forbes

*Shelli Brunswick, is CEO & Founder of SB Global LLC and an international keynote speaker on tech used for the betterment of humanity.