Russia develops algae-powered life-support system for Moon and Mars bases
MOSCOW, April 11. /TASS/. Russian engineers are developing a photobioreactor that will be able to support life on the Moon and Mars, innovative entrepreneur Ilya Chekh told TASS.
"We have already started development and have some working prototypes. The project itself is based on Soviet-era research into photobioreactors for lunar stations - at that time, the leading institutes were concerned with the problem of closed-loop life-support systems. Our task is to build on their work, integrate modern technologies, and create a self-sustaining life-support system," said Chekh, who is the founder of the "Guild: Frontiers of Science" scientific and technological company, which is funding the project.
At the heart of the system are microalgae, which produce oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide, and purify water, forming the base of a self-sustaining ecosystem, project lead Alexander Shaenko explained. "But a photobioreactor on its own cannot support human life - our bodies cannot live on algae alone, which is why the cycle also includes small crustaceans such as daphnia, followed by fish, with humans being the final link in the loop in the [food production] cycle," he added. With this configuration, the ecosystem will be able to ensure the survival of Earth colonists on the Moon or Mars, Shaenko said.
Soviet scientists nearly brought the system to life themselves back in the day, Chekh emphasized. "By the 1980s, scientists had achieved a very good resource replenishment rate, about 80%. Unfortunately, the project was shut down due to energy inefficiency. Now we are reviving it as our flagship technology initiative," he noted.
The entrepreneur added that the photobioreactor is being developed primarily for space stations, but it could be useful on Earth as well. "A number of companies have already shown their interest in installing the equipment in offices and factories to help process carbon dioxide," Chekh noted.
