TWiS 211: Oysters in Space - With Jacob Scoccimerra of Monolith Space
From This Week in Space (Audio) by TWiT
May 22, 2026 · 1h 9m · Episode 211
About this episode
The episode discusses the potential of oysters as a food source and water filtration system for Mars-bound astronauts, featuring insights from Jacob Scoccimerra of Monolith Space.
When one ponders the diet of Mars-bound astonauts, oysters don't often come to mind... but they should. As it turns out, the plucky bivalves have much to offer space voyagers, including water filtration and a ready source of protein. Jacob Scoccimerra, formerly of Nanoracks and now with Monolith Space, initiated a research project with students from the Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, to design, build, and operate a closed-circuit, automated support environment for oysters in a simulated space analog. It's a fascinating discussion that may leave you hungry. Headlines: SpaceX IPO Filing Reveals Company Finances NASA Opens JPL Operations to New Bidders, Eyes Management Shakeup Viral Cardboard Star Wars Fan Film Gets a Nod SpaceX Announces Crypto Billionaire's Planned Mars Flyby on Starship Main Topic: Oysters in Space – Bioregenerative Life Support and Student Research Jacob Discusses Monolith Space and Roots in Chemical Engineering Origins and Environmental Role of Oysters in Water Filtration Applying Aquatic Organisms to Space-Based Life Support Systems Harrisburg University Student Collaboration and Prototype Development Technical and Biological Challenges of…
People in this episode
Hosts: Rod Pyle, Tariq Mali
Guest: Jacob Scoccimerra
Topics covered
- Oysters in Space
- Bioregenerative Life Support
- Student Research
- Aquatic Organisms
- Space-Based Life Support Systems
- Environmental Role of Oysters
- Aquaculture Industry
Keywords
- oysters
- Mars
- bioregenerative systems
- life support
- aquatic habitats
- space research
- Harrisburg University
- environmental science
- protein source
- water filtration
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Monolith Space, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, NASA, SpaceX
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