Nanoracks’ spinoff aims to bring food production to Earth’s deserts and orbital space

High-tech solar greenhouses inspired by technology developed for missions to the moon and Mars could soon grow food in Arabian deserts and in Earth orbit, according to the space services company Nanoracks.

Nanoracks, known for deploying small satellites from the International Space Station, has just set up a spinoff in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) called StarLab Oasis. The new company, supported by the government of the desert-covered state, which imports 90% of its food, will open its first experimental greenhouse in 2022, the company’s general manager Allen Herbert told Space.com.