The life support system photobioreactor in the LUNA test: breathing and eating thanks to tiny algae
If we want to send humans into space, we must provide and maintain breathable air. The system that performs this function in a spacecraft is called the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS). The Technical University of Munich (TUM) has developed a photobioreactor system that will add oxygen and remove carbon dioxide in future lunar and Martian habitats. It uses microalgae that perform photosynthesis, converting the carbon dioxide exhaled by humans back into valuable oxygen.
The bioreactor was installed in FLEXhab and will be operated remotely for a few weeks. The habitat is particularly well suited as an experimental site because the controlled conditions there allow the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels to be continuously monitored automatically.
