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Sustainable life support on Mars – the potential roles of cyanobacteria

2015; Cambridge University Press; Volume: 15; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1017/s147355041500021x

1475-3006

Cyprien Verseux, Mickaël Baqué, Kirsi Lehto, Jean‐Pierre de Vera, Lynn J. Rothschild, Daniela Billi,

Spaceflight effects on biology

Abstract Even though technological advances could allow humans to reach Mars in the coming decades, launch costs prohibit the establishment of permanent manned outposts for which most consumables would be sent from Earth. This issue can be addressed by in situ resource utilization: producing part or all of these consumables on Mars, from local resources. Biological components are needed, among other reasons because various resources could be efficiently produced only by the use of biological systems. But most plants and microorganisms are unable to exploit Martian resources, and sending substrates from Earth to support their metabolism would strongly limit the cost-effectiveness and sustainability of their cultivation. However, resources needed to grow specific cyanobacteria are available on Mars due to their photosynthetic abilities, nitrogen-fixing activities and lithotrophic lifestyles. They could be used directly for various applications, including the production of food, fuel and oxygen, but also indirectly: products from their culture could support the growth of other organisms, opening the way to a wide range of life-support biological processes based on Martian resources. Here we give insights into how and why cyanobacteria could play a role in the development of self-sustainable manned outposts on Mars.