Why would a spaceship rely on hydroponics instead of algae for food?

Currently, NASA is investigating the use of hydroponics, aeroponics, and other low soil techniques to grow regular plants for consumption and oxygen generation/CO2 removal on long voyages in space. Why is this? Aren't algae more efficient than land plants? According to Wikipedia, typical crops have a photosynthetic efficiency of 1"“2%, while algae have an efficiency of 20-30%, which is much better. Algae is also a decent source of protein, carbohydrates, and fat, and if it lacks certain micronutrients, the astronauts could be given supplement pills to make up for that. On earth, plants may be more efficient, as you do not need that much specialized equipment to grow corn or potatoes, while much expensive gear is needed to grow algae, but in space, the land plants would also need expensive gear to grow. Wouldn't it be most effective to feed the astronauts a steady diet of algae paste?

posted about 5 years ago

Richard Smith‭

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