LUNARIA ONE
Going beyond Earth for a sustainable future
Developing the capability to grow biological life beyond Earth, and applying what we learn here.
Lunaria One holds Australia's first Overseas Payload Permit for a lunar payload, issued under the Space (Launches and Returns) Act 2018. The engineering knowledge and regulatory pathway developed through this process is a sovereign capability with lasting value for the Australian space sector.
Our science programme draws on partnerships with Australian and international research institutions across plant biology, seed science, astrobiology and environmental engineering. We work at the intersection of these disciplines to develop knowledge applicable both in space and in extreme environments on Earth.
We design and deliver public engagement programmes that bring space science to broad audiences, including citizen science initiatives, challenge-based learning, and curriculum-aligned resources developed with educators. Our approach centres participation, not just communication.
Life as infrastructure
The history of human exploration is also a history of carrying life with us. Food, medicine, and the means to grow both have always been part of what makes distant places habitable. Space is no different.
Lunaria One works on the biological systems that long-duration human presence in space will depend on. Plants, fungi, and other organisms are not passengers in that future. They are part of the life support architecture. Understanding how to keep them alive in the lunar environment is an engineering problem as much as a scientific one, and the knowledge compounds with each mission.
Growing in Space
A sustained human presence beyond Earth requires the ability to grow food, produce oxygen, and manage waste biologically. Plants, algae, and fungi are central to all three. Before any of that is possible, we need to understand whether biological life can survive the journey and the environment.
That is what the ALEPH programme is built around. Each mission advances the evidence base, from establishing survivable conditions to demonstrating active growth. The data gathered in the lunar environment also has direct relevance for food production and ecosystem management in extreme conditions on Earth.
Public Participation
Our goals are scientific, but our motivation is to see them shared by all. We are committed to opening our data and the scientific process to citizens of Australia and the world, particularly younger generations. We actively seek participation in experiments and the design process.
Contact us
We are based in Victoria, Australia, with team members and collaborators around the world. For enquiries, suggestions, media requests, or collaboration opportunities, please get in touch.