Lessons Learned from Biosphere 2 and Laboratory Biosphere Closed Systems Experiments for the Mars On Earth Project

• Alling Abigail

  Biosphere Foundation, P.O. Box 201 Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 USA

• Van Thillo Mark

  Biosphere Foundation, P.O. Box 201 Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 USA

• Dempster William

  Biospheric Design (a division of Global Ecotechnics) 1 Bluebird Court, Santa Fe, NM 87508 USA

• Nelson Mark

  Institute of Ecotechnics, 24 Old Gloucester St., London WC1 U.K.

• Silverstone Sally

  Biosphere Foundation, P.O. Box 201 Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 USA

• Allen John

  Biospheric Design (a division of Global Ecotechnics) 1 Bluebird Court, Santa Fe, NM 87508 USA

Abstract

Mars On Earth® (MOE) is a demonstration/research project that will develop systems for maintaining 4 people in a sustainable (bioregenerative) life support system on Mars. The overall design will address not only the functional requirements for maintaining long term human habitation in a sustainable artificial environment, but the aesthetic need for beauty and nutritional/psychological importance of a diversity of foods which has been noticeably lacking in most space settlement designs. Key features selected for the Mars On Earth® life support system build on the experience of operating Biosphere 2 as a closed ecological system facility from 1991-1994, its smaller 400 cubic meter test module and Laboratory Biosphere, a cylindrical steel chamber with horizontal axis 3.68 meters long and 3.65 meters in diameter. Future Mars On Earth® agriculture/atmospheric research will include: determining optimal light levels for growth of a variety of crops, energy trade-offs for agriculture (e.g. light intensity vs. required area), optimal design of soil-based agriculture/horticulture systems, strategies for safe re-use of human waste products, and maintaining atmospheric balance between people, plants and soils.

Journal

• Biological Sciences in Space

  Biological Sciences in Space 19 (4), 250-260, 2005

  Japanese Society for Biological Sciences in Space

Keywords

• agriculture
• air
• closed system
• sustainable

Details

• CRID: 1390001204431867008
• NII Article ID: 130004450549
• NII Article ID: 10018083611
• NII Book ID: AN10164806
• DOI: 10.2187/bss.19.250
• ISSN: 1349967X
• ISSN: 09149201
• NDL BIB ID: 7982405
• Web Site: https://ndlsearch.ndl.go.jp/books/R000000004-I7982405
• Text Lang: en
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • NDL
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed