How to Establish a Bioregenerative Life Support System for Long-Term Crewed Missions to the Moon or Mars

Abstract

To conduct crewed simulation experiments of bioregenerative life support systems on the ground is a critical step for human life support in deep-space exploration. An artificial closed ecosystem named Lunar Palace 1 was built through integrating efficient higher plant cultivation, animal protein production, urine nitrogen recycling, and bioconversion of solid waste. Subsequently, a 105-day, multicrew, closed integrative bioregenerative life support systems experiment in Lunar Palace 1 was carried out from February through May 2014. The results show that environmental conditions as well as the gas balance between O and CO in the system were well maintained during the 105-day experiment. A total of 21 plant species in this system kept a harmonious coexistent relationship, and 20.5% nitrogen recovery from urine, 41% solid waste degradation, and a small amount of insect in situ production were achieved. During the 105-day experiment, oxygen and water were recycled, and 55% of the food was regenerated. Key Words: Bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS)-Space agriculture-Space life support-Waste recycle-Water recycle. Astrobiology 16, 925-936.

The influence of bioregenerative life‐support system dietary structure and lifestyle on the gut microbiota: a 105‐day ground‐based space simulation in Lunar Palace 1

“…This technology is implemented to create sustainable life support in a closed artificial ecosystem (Massa et al ., ).One of the most recent developments in BLSS has been the establishment and testing of the Chinese Lunar Palace 1 (LP1). LP1 is a highly closed ecosystem integrating efficient higher plant cultivation, animal protein production, urine nitrogen recycling, and bioconversion of solid waste; it has achieved an overall closure coefficient of 97% in terms of mass regeneration (Fu et al ., ). A unique contribution of BLSS is their focus on biotic and abiotic factors as interacting components of a single integrated system.…”

Microgravity research in plants

“…Concerning the supply with oxygen, a recent experiment in the Chinese closed ecosystem Lunar Palace 1 in Beijing showed that a crew composed of three members needed close to 2 kg O 2 per day [9]. According to this and similar studies from NASA, this can be produced by a growth area of 70-75 m 2 of crops [9]. For upcoming Mars missions, various scenarios exist with typical crew sizes between three and six astronauts.…”

Fungal Biotechnology in Space: Why and How?

“…Long-duration deep space missions, such as to Mars, are expected to use matured and upgraded versions of ISS life support (Jones et al 2014), called deep space life support. Testing the establishment of bioregenerative life-support systems for longterm crewed missions to the Moon or Mars was done, achieving 20.5% nitrogen recovery from urine, oxygen and water recycling, 55% of food regeneration, 41% solid waste degradation and insect in situ production during the 105-day long experiment (Fu et al 2016). In this study, microorganisms were used to degrade plant waste material; however, no details were provided on the extent of the microbial contribution to the overall system.…”