Sustainable Space Agriculture: Biodegradable Sensors Redefining Greenhouse Monitoring Beyond Earth

The establishment of greenhouses in space stations or during extended missions aboard spacecraft is vital for supplying fresh food to the crew and regulating the amount of carbon dioxide in an isolated environment, thereby enhancing their health. Nevertheless, constructing an enclosed system within highly specific conditions (such as microgravity, artificial lighting, limited space and resources) presents a series of challenges, necessitating the utilization of continuous monitoring technologies. In this regard, flexible sensors emerge as precious tools for preserving and safeguarding such delicate systems. However, the usage of plastic and inorganic materials for the fabrication of sensors poses a critical risk, since these tools are usually conceived as disposable devices. Here we present a technology based on cellulose blends to create a potential circular fabrication model to recycle the raw materials of the sensors after their lifecycle.