AI-generated summary
The growing global population and the impacts of climate change are pushing traditional agriculture to its limits, prompting the adoption of innovative, technology-driven solutions. One such approach is space farming, which applies technologies developed for space exploration—such as satellites, drones, artificial intelligence, and quantum analysis—to revolutionize agricultural production on Earth and prepare for future space missions. Early experiments, starting in 1946, have studied plant growth under microgravity and other space conditions, with ongoing projects like LEAF investigating lunar environmental effects on plants.
Beyond experimental space cultivation, the integration of space technologies into terrestrial agriculture is already delivering tangible benefits. Advanced satellite systems and high-altitude pseudosatellites (HAPS), combined with AI, are enhancing precision agriculture by monitoring soil moisture, predicting droughts, and tracking pests with unprecedented accuracy. For example, in Spain’s Valencian Community, satellite data combined with ground sensors and AI-driven predictive models optimize citrus crop management and water use. Techniques developed for space, such as NASA’s aeroponics, are being applied on Earth to save water and land. Additionally, hyperspectral sensors and autonomous electric tractors derived from space tech are improving greenhouse management and crop interventions. However, democratizing access to data and digital training remains essential for widespread adoption. Ultimately, space farming represents a new, sustainable paradigm focused on producing more with fewer resources, leveraging knowledge gained beyond Earth to help feed a planet facing environmental crises.
Next-generation satellites, drones, AI, and quantum analytics are leading to more precise and sustainable "space farming."
The increase in the world’s population and the ravages caused by climate change are pushing traditional agriculture to the limit. To meet this challenge,
The first experiments in this area date back to 1946, when seeds were launched into space, followed by fruit flies a year later. Since then, numerous studies have been carried out to evaluate the behavior of plants under conditions of microgravity, different pressures and artificial light spectrums. Currently, the experiment LEAF (Lunar Effects in Agricultural Flora) studies how the lunar environment influences plant development.
Beyond the Cultivated among the stars, the convergence between space technology and terrestrial agriculture already offers concrete benefits on Earth, through next-generation satellite systems capable of measuring soil moisture, predicting droughts and monitoring pests with unprecedented precision. In this field, Basque companies stand out Satlantis, which develops observation cameras for small satellites and has provided key data for water and crop management from low orbit.
Along with satellites, HAPS (high-altitude pseudosatellites) come into play, capable of providing detailed and prolonged images over time. These systems, complemented by artificial intelligence algorithms, are revolutionizing precision agriculture, facilitating a more agile response to extreme events such as droughts or fires.
A specific example has been seen in the Valencian Community, where spatial observation data is cross-referenced with ground-based sensors and predictive models to anticipate the evolution of citrus crops and reduce water consumption. This type of integration is supported by vertical AIs – models trained specifically in agriculture – and quantum analysis, which allow complex scenarios to be simulated with unprecedented speed and accuracy. Several agricultural cooperatives, such as Anecoop is already collaborating with technology startups to translate this data into intuitive decision support tools.
The The link with space is also manifested in the aeroponics technique, developed by NASA in the sixties to feed astronauts on prolonged missions. Today it is applied in low-water-consumption terrestrial agricultural systems. This technique, which involves directly spraying the roots with a nutrient-rich mist, saves up to 95% of water and reduces the use of arable land by 99%.
Technologies originating in space exploration, such as hyperspectral sensors and computer vision systems, they are already used in solar greenhouses in Almeria, where they help to optimise light, humidity and nutrients in real time. For its part, the Valencian Voltrac has produced an autonomous electric tractor that combines advanced sensors with full operational autonomy to collect agronomic data in real time and intervene on crops with surgical precision. These are technologies derived from space applications, such as autonomous management and resilience in extreme environments.
However, for this revolution to reach the average farmer, it is key to guarantee the democratization of information and digital training. In fact, as the report points out Megatrends 2025 of the Bankinter Innovation Foundation, the real usefulness of space agriculture lies especially in its practical application in agricultural decision-making. The key is to turn orbital observation into local action.
The Space research can redefine not only how we farm, but also how we imagine the future of the field. It is no longer just a matter of producing more, but of doing so with less: less water, fewer chemicals, less environmental impact. Space farming proposes a new paradigm, more resilient and connected, where what we learn beyond the atmosphere can help feed a planet in crisis.
