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Long-duration human space missions require intelligent regenerative life support systems that can recycle resources and automatically manage failures. This paper explores using Petri nets to model the reliability and complex interactions of such closed-loop systems. An architecture consisting of primary systems, backups, and consumable reserves is outlined. The automation system that controls everything is described. Petri nets can capture concurrency, failure modes, redundancy, and dynamic behavior. A modular modeling methodology is presented to develop hierarchical Petri net models that scale in fidelity. Elementary fragments represent failures and redundancy. Subsystem modules can be substituted for more detailed models. Analysis and simulation assess system reliability and failure response. This supports designing ultra-reliable systems to safely sustain human life in space.

Long-duration human space missions require intelligent regenerative life support systems that can recycle resources and automatically manage failures. This paper explores using Petri nets to model the reliability and complex interactions of such closed-loop systems. An architecture consisting of primary systems, backups, and consumable reserves is outlined. The automation system that controls everything is described. Petri nets can capture concurrency, failure modes, redundancy, and dynamic behavior. A modular modeling methodology is presented to develop hierarchical Petri net models that scale in fidelity. Elementary fragments represent failures and redundancy. Subsystem modules can be substituted for more detailed models. Analysis and simulation assess system reliability and failure response. This supports designing ultra-reliable systems to safely sustain human life in space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important component of the sustainable functioning of urbanized territories are life support systems that provide the main indicators of the quality of life of the population both in normal conditions and in emergency situations of man-made and natural character. Such systems primarily include power supply systems, gas supply, heat supply, water supply, transport, etc. Accidents in life support systems lead to large-scale and long-term negative social, material, financial and environmental consequences. Especially severe consequences are associated with intersystem accidents, when the termination or restriction in functioning affects two or more life support systems. The report discusses methodological issues of simulation of emergency interaction of life support systems, an algorithm and a general scheme for resilient assessing are proposed.

During the period of global climate change, the territories of the Russian Federation, within which permafrost is widespread, are at particular risk. The aim of this article is to identify the social consequences of permafrost degradation on the example of a number of rural settlements in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and to determine the emerging mechanisms of adaptation to the challenges associated with changes in the habitual state of the environment. In this regard, for the first time, the villages of Amga, Yunkur, Argakhtakh, Lippe-Atakh and Ulakhan-An, located in Yakutia, were the focus of relevant interdisciplinary research conducted during 2019–2022. The work in these settlements made it possible to establish local features of both the consequences of the degradation of permafrost and the specifics of their perception by the local population. It is noted that in the rural settlements studied, permafrost degradation limits the development of traditional economic activities, including among the Arctic and Subarctic indigenous population, limits the possibilities for the spatial development of settlements, leads to problems with the safety of the housing stock, and hinders transport communication. The observed changes entail an increase in the financial burden on the population, economic entities and local administrations, and negatively affect the social well-being of the inhabitants of the studied villages. At the same time, the conducted research allowed to reveal that the mechanisms of adaptation and sustainability of rural communities that are being formed in this regard are largely based on traditions of rural mutual assistance.

The space environment is extreme for plants growth and survival as gravity (gravitropism modification, water distribution), radiations (mutations enhancers), light spectrum regime and temperature are not optimal. Photosynthetic microorganisms are a foreseen solution for supporting plant development, growth, and stress tolerance in closed environments, like those designed for space colonisation. Indeed, photosynthetic microorganisms are known as secondary metabolites producers (exopolysaccharides, indole alkaloids, fertilisers) able to impact plant stimulation. Studying their abilities, application methodologies and best strains for space agriculture may lead to developing a sustainable and efficient approach for food production. Furthermore, as these microorganisms could also be used to produce oxygen and recycle waste materials increasing their interest in closed loop systems is undeniable. In this review we provide an overview of the current state of knowledge about existing biostimulants, their effects and applications, and the potential brought by photosynthetic microorganisms for life in closed environments. Highlights Cyanobacteria's and microalgae's secondary metabolites can act as biostimulants for vascular plants when applied to the roots or the leaves. Production of secondary metabolites in cyanobacteria can be enhanced in stressful environments. Cyanobacteria can survive space-like stress by sur-producing secondary metabolites giving an advantage for space farming as a source of biostimulant compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, life support systems on the International Space Center (ISS) or those planned for upcoming moon/Mars missions have not included biological reactors for wastewater treatment, despite their ubiquitous use for the treatment of terrestrial wastewaters. However, the new focus on partial gravity habitats reduces the required complexity of treatment systems compared with those operating in micro-gravity, and the likely addition of large-volume wastewaters with surfactant loads (e.g., laundry and shower) makes the current ISS wastewater treatment system inappropriate due to the foaming potential from surfactants, increased consumable requirements due to the use of non-regenerative systems (e.g., mixed adsorbent beds), the complexity of the system, and sensitivity to failures from precipitation and/or biological fouling. Hybrid systems that combine simple biological reactors with desalination (e.g., Reverse Osmosis (RO)) could reduce system and consumable mass and complexity. Our objective was to evaluate a system composed of a membrane-aerated bioreactor (MABR) coupled to a low-pressure commercial RO system to process partial gravity habitat wastewater. The MABR was able to serve as the only wastewater collection tank (variable volume), receiving all wastewaters as they were produced. The MABR treated more than 20,750 L of graywater and was able to remove more than 90% of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), producing an effluent with DOC < 14 mg/L and BOD < 12 mg/L and oxidizing >90% of the ammoniacal nitrogen into NOx−. A single RO membrane (260 g) was able to process >3000 L of MABR effluent and produced a RO permeate with DOC < 5 mg/L, TN < 2 mg/L, and TDS < 10 mg/L, which would essentially meet ISS potable water standards after disinfection. The system has an un-optimized mass and volume of 128.5 kg. Consumables include oxygen (~4 g/crew-day), RO membranes, and a prefilter (1.7 g/crew-day). For a one-year mission with four crew, the total system + consumable mass are ~141 kg, which would produce ~15,150 kg of treated water, resulting in a pay-back period of 13.4 days (3.35 days for a crew of four). Given that the MABR in this study operated for 500 days, while in previous studies, similar systems operated for more than 3 years, the total system costs would be exceedingly low. These results highlight the potential application of hybrid treatment systems for space habitats, which may also have a direct application to terrestrial applications where source-separated systems are employed.

ABSTRACTThe space environment is extreme for plants growth and survival as gravity (gravitropism modification, water distribution), radiations (mutations enhancers), light spectrum regime and temperature are not optimal. Photosynthetic microorganisms are a foreseen solution for supporting plant development, growth, and stress tolerance in closed environments, like those designed for space colonisation. Indeed, photosynthetic microorganisms are known as secondary metabolites producers (exopolysaccharides, indole alkaloids, fertilisers) able to impact plant stimulation. Studying their abilities, application methodologies and best strains for space agriculture may lead to developing a sustainable and efficient approach for food production. Furthermore, as these microorganisms could also be used to produce oxygen and recycle waste materials increasing their interest in closed loop systems is undeniable. In this review we provide an overview of the current state of knowledge about existing biostimulants, their effects and applications, and the potential brought by photosynthetic microorganisms for life in closed environments.Highlights Cyanobacteria's and microalgae's secondary metabolites can act as biostimulants for vascular plants when applied to the roots or the leaves.Production of secondary metabolites in cyanobacteria can be enhanced in stressful environments.Cyanobacteria can survive space-like stress by sur-producing secondary metabolites giving an advantage for space farming as a source of biostimulant compounds.

In situ production of food, water and oxygen is essential for long-duration human space missions. Higher plants represent a key element in Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSS), where crop cultivation can be based on water and nutrients recovered from waste and wastewater. Human urine exemplifies an important waste stream with potential to provide crops with nitrogen (N) and other nutrients. Dynamic waste composition and treatment processes may result in mineralized fractions with varying ammonium (NH4+) to nitrate (NO3-) ratios. In this study, lettuce was cultivated in the unique ESA MELiSSA Plant Characterization Unit, an advanced, gas-tight hydroponic research facility offering controlled environment and continuous monitoring of atmospheric gas composition. To evaluate biological and system effects of nutrient solution NH4+:NO3- ratio, two crop tests were run with different NH4+ to total N ratio (NH4+:N) and elevated concentrations of Na+ and Cl- in line with a urine recycling scenario. Plants cultivated at 0.5 mol⋅mol-1 NH4+:N (HiNH4+) achieved 50% lower shoot biomass compared to those cultivated at 0.1 mol⋅mol-1 NH4+:N (LoNH4+), accompanied by higher shoot dry weight content and lower harvest index. Analyses of projected leaf area over time indicated that the reduced biomass observed at harvest could be attributed to a lower specific growth rate during the close-to-exponential growth phase. The HiNH4+ crop produced 40% less O2 over the full cultivation period. However, normalization of the results indicated a marginal increase in O2 production per time and per projected leaf area for the HiNH4+ crop during the exponential growth phase, in line with a higher shoot chlorophyll content. Mineral analysis demonstrated that the biomass content of NH4+ and NO3- varied in line with the nutrient solution composition. The ratio of consumed NH4+ to consumed N was higher than the NH4+:N ratio of the nutrient solution for both crop tests, resulting in decreasing NH4+:N ratios in the nutrient solution over time. The results provide enhanced insight for design of waste processes and crop cultivation to optimize overall BLSS efficiency and hold valuable potential for improved resource utilization also in terrestrial food production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent transport systems are used in various transport systems, among which a special place is occupied by crewed autonomous transport systems such as space stations for deep space habitation. These objects have a complex and critical requirement for life support systems (LSSs) to maintain safe and habitable conditions for the crew in the isolated environment. This paper explores the different architectural options for life support systems (LSSs) in autonomous transport systems, specifically focusing on space stations. Three alternative LSS architectures are discussed: Open LSS (OLSS), Closed LSS (CLSS), and Mixed LSS (MLSS). Each architecture has its own advantages and disadvantages. OLSS relies on external resource delivery, reducing initial costs but increasing dependence on resupply missions. CLSS operates autonomously, generating resources onboard, but has higher initial costs and technological complexity. MLSS combines external delivery and onboard generation, providing flexibility and adaptability. The material emphasizes the importance of cost-effectiveness analysis at the early stages of design and identifies the boundary values of mission duration that determine the most effective LSS architecture choice. The material highlights the significance of striking the right balance between cost and performance to develop intelligent ecosystems of LSS for space stations and other autonomous transport systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxygen regulator is the core component of the aircraft life support system, which adjusts the flow and pressure of the breathing gas according to the pilot's breathing needs. In response to the problem that structural parameters are difficult to adjust and prone to jitter when the indirect oxygen regulator system is stable, a direct oxygen regulator is designed using a stepper motor to drive a lung-type flapper, replacing the diaphragm lever-type structure of the indirect oxygen regulator. Due to the nonlinearity and time-varying nature of the dynamic characteristics of oxygen regulators, a single-neuron PID control strategy based on online identification of RBF neural networks is proposed to improve the PID control performance. The RBF neural network is used to identify the Jacobian information of the controlled object, and the single-neuron PID controller completes the online adjustment of the controller parameters to realize the intelligent control of the system. Simulation experimental studies are conducted to verify the performance of the direct oxygen regulator. The result analysis verifies the excellence of the single-neuron PID control strategy based on online recognition of the RBF neural network to improve the system performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humans are microbial, ecosystems and symbioses. The relationship that humans have with their microbiomes is an essential element to maintaining health and wellbeing. Recent changes in lifestyles may have fostered an alteration of this symbiosis, which is frequently associated with chronic disorders. Here, we will review the state of the art on the central role of human-microbes symbiosis in health and disease, highlighting the innovations expected from the emerging knowledge on host-microbes symbiosis, for diagnosis, preventive nutrition, and a medicine of the ‘microbial human’. Since microbiome science also impacts several sustainable development goals of the Planetary Boundaries Initiative, we will also explore how microbiome science could help to provide sustainability tools and strategies aligned with the life support systems sought by the Micro-Ecological Life Support Systems Alternative (MELiSSA) Project lead by the European Space Agency (ESA).

Solar energy refers to renewable carbon-free energy. Experimental studies conducted in the springautumn periods of 2018–2021. In the conditions of the sharply continental climate of Western Siberia allowed us to draw a number of conclusions about the applicability of the radiation life support system for cottages, rural houses and other detached buildings. During the research, a large number of experimental temperature measurements are carried out with their recording in the memory of the logger 88598. The temperatures are recorded on the measuring cell of the experimental stand. The obtained experimental data are processed. In spring and autumn, it is more rational to replace radiation conditioning with ventilation, since at night the temperature difference between the radiation panel and the surrounding air is small.

The vast universe, from its unfathomable ends to our very own Milky Way galaxy, is comprised of numerous celestial bodies—disparate yet each having their uniqueness. Amongst these bodies exist only a handful that have an environment that can nurture and sustain life. The Homo sapiens species has inhabited the planet, which is positioned in a precise way—Earth. It is an irrefutable truth that the planet Earth has provided us with all necessities for survival—for the human race to flourish and prosper and make scientific and technological advancements. Humans have always had an innate ardor for exploration—and now, since they have explored every nook and corner of this planet, inhabiting it and utilizing its resources, the time has come to alleviate the burden we have placed upon Earth to be the sole life-sustaining planet. With limited resources in our grasp and an ever-proliferating population, it is the need of the hour that we take a leap and go beyond the planet for inhabitation—explore the other celestial objects in our galaxy. Then, however, there arises a confounding conundrum—where do we go? The answer is right next to our home—the Red Planet, Mars. Space scientists have confirmed that Mars has conditions to support life and is the closest candidate for human inhabitation. The planet has certain similarities to Earth and its proximity provides us with convenient contact. This paper will be dealing with the conceptual design for the first city-state on Mars. Aggregating assumptions, research, and estimations, this first settlement project shall propose the most optimal means to explore, inhabit and colonize our sister planet, Mars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acid-tolerant ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) can open the door to new applications, such as partial nitritation at low pH. However, they can also be problematic because chemical nitrite oxidation occurs at low pH, leading to the release of harmful nitrogen oxide gases. In this publication, the role of acid-tolerant AOB in urine treatment was explored. On the one hand, the technical feasibility of ammonia oxidation under acidic conditions for source-separated urine with total nitrogen concentrations up to 3.5 g-N L−1 was investigated. On the other hand, the abundance and growth of acid-tolerant AOB at more neutral pH was explored. Under acidic conditions (pH of 5), ammonia oxidation rates of 500 mg-N L−1 d−1 and 10 g-N g-VSS-1 d-1 were observed, despite high concentrations of 15 mg-N L−1 of the AOB-inhibiting compound nitrous acid and low concentration of 0.04 mg-N L−1 of the substrate ammonia. However, ammonia oxidation under acidic conditions was very sensitive to process disturbances. Even short periods of less than 12 h without oxygen or without influent resulted in a complete cessation of ammonia oxidation with a recovery time of up to two months, which is a problem for low maintenance applications such as decentralized treatment. Furthermore, undesirable nitrogen losses of about 10% were observed. Under acidic conditions, a novel AOB strain was enriched with a relative abundance of up to 80%, for which the name “Candidatus (Ca.) Nitrosacidococcus urinae” is proposed. While Nitrosacidococcus members were present only to a small extent (0.004%) in urine nitrification reactors operated at pH values between 5.8 and 7, acid-tolerant AOB were always enriched during long periods without influent, resulting in an uncontrolled drop in pH to as low as 2.5. Long-term experiments at different pH values showed that the activity of “Ca. Nitrosacidococcus urinae” decreased strongly at a pH of 7, where they were also outcompeted by the acid-sensitive AOB Nitrosomonas halophila. The experiment results showed that the decreased activity of “Ca. Nitrosacidococcus urinae” correlated with the limited availability of dissolved iron at neutral pH.

Intelligent transport systems are used in various transport systems, among which a special place is occupied by crewed autonomous transport systems such as space stations for deep space habitation. These objects have a complex and critical requirement for life support systems (LSSs) to maintain safe and habitable conditions for the crew in the isolated environment. This paper explores the different architectural options for life support systems (LSSs) in autonomous transport systems, specifically focusing on space stations. Three alternative LSS architectures are discussed: Open LSS (OLSS), Closed LSS (CLSS), and Mixed LSS (MLSS). Each architecture has its own advantages and disadvantages. OLSS relies on external resource delivery, reducing initial costs but increasing dependence on resupply missions. CLSS operates autonomously, generating resources onboard, but has higher initial costs and technological complexity. MLSS combines external delivery and onboard generation, providing flexibility and adaptability. The material emphasizes the importance of cost-effectiveness analysis at the early stages of design and identifies the boundary values of mission duration that determine the most effective LSS architecture choice. The material highlights the significance of striking the right balance between cost and performance to develop intelligent ecosystems of LSS for space stations and other autonomous transport systems.

The oxygen regulator is the core component of the aircraft life support system, which adjusts the flow and pressure of the breathing gas according to the pilot’s breathing needs. In response to the problem that structural parameters are difficult to adjust and prone to jitter when the indirect oxygen regulator system is stable, a direct oxygen regulator is designed using a stepper motor to drive a lung-type flapper, replacing the diaphragm lever-type structure of the indirect oxygen regulator. Due to the nonlinearity and time-varying nature of the dynamic characteristics of oxygen regulators, a single-neuron PID control strategy based on online identification of RBF neural networks is proposed to improve the PID control performance. The RBF neural network is used to identify the Jacobian information of the controlled object, and the single-neuron PID controller completes the online adjustment of the controller parameters to realize the intelligent control of the system. Simulation experimental studies are conducted to verify the performance of the direct oxygen regulator. The result analysis verifies the excellence of the single-neuron PID control strategy based on online recognition of the RBF neural network to improve the system performance.

In this study, a new formulation of KO2-based air revitalization tablets was developed to improve the performance of air regeneration equal to the man respiratory quotient, beneficial to use in life support systems. The effect of four additives, including Cu2Cl(OH)3, MnO2 (catalyst), LiOH (CO2 auxiliary absorbent), and CaSO4 (moisture absorbent), were investigated in 3 levels on the CO2 adsorption of the air revitalization tablets according to Taguchi's statistical approach. The ANOVA followed by Fisher's test of the data revealed that an increase in the amount of Cu2Cl(OH)3 improves the CO2 adsorption and the final performance of the formulation. The CO2 adsorption of the optimum tablets was 50.83%, which is about 93%, and 43% higher than the KO2 tablets (26.25%) and the commercial tablets (35.42%), respectively. The BET and FE-SEM analysis of the commercial and optimized tablets indicated they have a mesoporous solid structure and a V-type adsorption isotherm. The BET-specific surface area before the adsorption process in the commercial and the newly produced sample was about 1.269 and 1.589 m2 g−1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmentally friendly and renewable energy sources are currently relevant and in demand. One of such energy sources is solar radiation, which can transmit up to 1,5 kW of thermal energy per square meter of the earth’s surface. This energy can be converted into electrical energy using solar panels, which have several disadvantages. The main one are low efficiency and short service life. Another way to harness solar energy is by using solar collectors, which convert the sun radiation into thermal energy

In order to cater to the scientific demand for deep ocean exploration with human presence, manned submersible capable of operating up to 6000 m depth is being designed and developed at National Institute of Ocean Technology. The submersible can accommodate three personnel inside the confined space volume of 4.8 m³ human capsule (personnel sphere) for total endurance of 108 h (12 h normal mission and 96 h in case of emergency). Human Metabolic Simulator was developed by following Det Norske Veritas guideline to validate the life support system design during initial stages of qualification inside the personnel sphere. By considering human respiratory quotient (RQ), HMS was designed by combusting propane gas (RQ 0.6) to produce carbon dioxide, water and heat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vast universe, from its unfathomable ends to our very own Milky Way galaxy, is comprised of numerous celestial bodies—disparate yet each having their uniqueness. Amongst these bodies exist only a handful that have an environment that can nurture and sustain life. The Homo sapiens species has inhabited the planet, which is positioned in a precise way—Earth. It is an irrefutable truth that the planet Earth has provided us with all necessities for survival—for the human race to flourish and prosper and make scientific and technological advancements. Humans have always had an innate ardor for exploration—and now, since they have explored every nook and corner of this planet, inhabiting it and utilizing its resources, the time has come to alleviate the burden we have placed upon Earth to be the sole life-sustaining planet. With limited resources in our grasp and an ever-proliferating population, it is the need of the hour that we take a leap and go beyond the planet for inhabitation—explore the other celestial objects in our galaxy. Then, however, there arises a confounding conundrum—where do we go? The answer is right next to our home—the Red Planet, Mars. Space scientists have confirmed that Mars has conditions to support life and is the closest candidate for human inhabitation. The planet has certain similarities to Earth and its proximity provides us with convenient contact. This paper will be dealing with the conceptual design for the first city-state on Mars. Aggregating assumptions, research, and estimations, this first settlement project shall propose the most optimal means to explore, inhabit and colonize our sister planet, Mars.

A base on the Moon surface or a mission to Mars are potential destinations for human spaceflight, according to current space agencies’ plans. These scenarios pose several new challenges, since the environmental and operational conditions of the mission will strongly differ than those on the International Space Station (ISS). One critical parameter will be the increased mission duration and further distance from Earth, requiring a Life Support System (LSS) as independent as possible from Earth’s resources. Current LSS physico-chemical technologies at the ISS can recycle 90% of water and regain 42% of O2 from the astronaut’s exhaled CO2, but they are not able to produce food, which can currently only be achieved using biology. A future LSS will most likely include some of these technologies currently in use, but will also need to include biological components. A potential biological candidate are microalgae, which compared to higher plants, offer a higher harvest index, higher biomass productivity and require less water. Several algal species have already been investigated for space applications in the last decades, being Chlorella vulgaris a promising and widely researched species. C. vulgaris is a spherical single cell organism, with a mean diameter of 6 µm. It can grow in a wide range of pH and temperature levels and CO2 concentrations and it shows a high resistance to cross contamination and to mechanical shear stress, making it an ideal organism for long-term LSS. In order to continuously and efficiently produce the oxygen and food required for the LSS, the microalgae need to grow in a well-controlled and stable environment. Therefore, besides the biological aspects, the design of the cultivation system, the Photobioreactor (PBR), is also crucial. Even if research both on C. vulgaris and in general about PBRs has been carried out for decades, several challenges both in the biological and technological aspects need to be solved, before a PBR can be used as part of the LSS in a Moon base. Those include: radiation effects on algae, operation under partial gravity, selection of the required hardware for cultivation and food processing, system automation and long-term performance and stability.

One of main advantages of radiation life support systems is the use of renewable energy sources and ecological warmth. The promising areas of such life-support systems include radiation solar heaters, which have several advantages. The use of radiation heating systems in the offseason allows you to completely abandon the use of organic fuels or electricity and in cold season allows significant savings on heating buildings. Experimental and computational studies performed allow us to predict the thermal performance produced by the life support radiation system. Calculations made using experimental data showed that the heat generated by the solar radiation heating of water or non-freezing liquid in summer is sufficient for hot water supply around the clock, as well as for heating water and providing comfortable conditions in the rooms at night and in cold weather conditions

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We developed a 2U incubator and used it to grow the legume Medicago truncatula autonomously. This prototype was designed to become a payload in a 3U Cubesat nanosatellite; it therefore weighs only 1.2 kg and has a total consumption of less than 4 Watt. The incubator is equipped with many sensors to monitor its environment such as gas, humidity and heat sensors. It also contains actuators to modify the environment such as a flexible heater and a TiO 2 -based ethylene photocatalyst to remove plants ethylene production. The objectives are first to determine good growth conditions in this limited volume device and to allow better prototyping of a 2U incubator experiment. Second, to build a prediction model based on measurements of plants functional traits. Therefore, first we carried out a design of experiments to perform the germination and growth of M. truncatula at temperatures of 22 °C and 29 °C, under CO 2 concentrations of 380 ppm and 10000 ppm and with two photoperiod regimes 16h/8h and 20h/4h. This gives a total of 8 experimental conditions tested in large climatic chambers during a 30-day period. The 2U experiment was performed at 26 °C, 380 ppm CO 2 and with a 20h/4h photoperiod. This experiment lasted 62 days before being stopped to find that 2 large plants had grown for almost 52 days. Secondly, by using a principal components analysis, we observed that most of the plants functional traits variables explained the variability on the first principal component, with the exception of the surface area of the small leaves and the quantity of small leaves which explained the variability on the second principal component. The quantity of big leaves, which is an easily measurable variable with a camera, was very strongly correlated with the first principal component. These 3 variables and 2 others were included in the model equations used to predict the values of visible and hidden plants functional traits. This model has been successfully tested on the 2U incubator experiment allowing precise determination of fresh weight biomass under 20% error. The determination of the fresh weight of the roots, the fresh weight of the shoots, the amount of big and small leaves, the total amount of leaves, the surface area of big leaves and small leaves and the total surface area of the leaves was carried out. • Autonomous growing of leguminous plants in a 2U incubator payload for a CubeSat. • Monitoring of Medicago truncatula germination and growth into a 2U incubator. • Conception of a 2U incubator designed for a 3U CubeSat nanosatellite. • Model to predict plant functional traits will be used in 3U CubeSat nanosatellite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The primary objective was to determine the clinical benefit of using a specific alternating-pressure mattress overlay (APMO) in the prevention of pressure ulcer (PU) in patients at medium to high risk. Method: This prospective study was conducted in five rehabilitation centres and three nursing homes. Patients at medium to high risk of PU, but without PU at baseline, and lying between 15 and 20 hours per day on a specific APMO were included. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients who developed a sacral, spine, heel or trochanteric PU (supine support areas) of at least category II, at day 35. All patients were included in the analysis. Results: A total of 89 patients were included; of whom six patients (6.7%) dropped out of the study (average (±standard deviation) follow-up 32±5.4 days). No sacral, spine, heel or trochanteric PU of at least category II was reported (i.e., an incidence of 0% [95% Confidence Interval: 0–4.1%] according to the exact Clopper–Pearson method]. Patients were 'satisfied' or 'very satisfied' with the comfort and stability of the APMO. The caregivers assessed as 'very easy' or 'easy' the implementation, maintenance and use of the APMO (turning over, moving to a sitting position). Conclusion: In combination with the usual measures to prevent PU, the results of our study showed a low incidence of PU in high-risk patients lying for between 15 and 20 hours a day on an APMO, use of which is therefore recommended in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, life support systems on the International Space Center (ISS) or those planned for upcoming moon/Mars missions have not included biological reactors for wastewater treatment, despite their ubiquitous use for the treatment of terrestrial wastewaters. However, the new focus on partial gravity habitats reduces the required complexity of treatment systems compared with those operating in micro-gravity, and the likely addition of large-volume wastewaters with surfactant loads (e.g., laundry and shower) makes the current ISS wastewater treatment system inappropriate due to the foaming potential from surfactants, increased consumable requirements due to the use of non-regenerative systems (e.g., mixed adsorbent beds), the complexity of the system, and sensitivity to failures from precipitation and/or biological fouling. Hybrid systems that combine simple biological reactors with desalination (e.g., Reverse Osmosis (RO)) could reduce system and consumable mass and complexity. Our objective was to evaluate a system composed of a membrane-aerated bioreactor (MABR) coupled to a low-pressure commercial RO system to process partial gravity habitat wastewater. The MABR was able to serve as the only wastewater collection tank (variable volume), receiving all wastewaters as they were produced. The MABR treated more than 20,750 L of graywater and was able to remove more than 90% of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), producing an effluent with DOC < 14 mg/L and BOD < 12 mg/L and oxidizing >90% of the ammoniacal nitrogen into NOx - . A single RO membrane (260 g) was able to process >3000 L of MABR effluent and produced a RO permeate with DOC < 5 mg/L, TN < 2 mg/L, and TDS < 10 mg/L, which would essentially meet ISS potable water standards after disinfection. The system has an un-optimized mass and volume of 128.5 kg. Consumables include oxygen (~4 g/crew-day), RO membranes, and a prefilter (1.7 g/crew-day). For a one-year mission with four crew, the total system + consumable mass are ~141 kg, which would produce ~15,150 kg of treated water, resulting in a pay-back period of 13.4 days (3.35 days for a crew of four). Given that the MABR in this study operated for 500 days, while in previous studies, similar systems operated for more than 3 years, the total system costs would be exceedingly low. These results highlight the potential application of hybrid treatment systems for space habitats, which may also have a direct application to terrestrial applications where source-separated systems are employed.

The biological module BINOM is a platform for multi-purpose biomedical space experiments with a wide range of biological objects (bacteria, algae, fungi, plants, multicomponent ecosystems). It was designed as a payload for SamSat nanosatellites and can be easily mounted on any other space vehicle. The module consists of three main blocks a sealed chamber for biological objects, a life support system, a system of control and measurement supporting scientific data acquisition and pre-processing. The BiNOM interacts with the electronic systems of the nanosatellite with the help of a single four-pin connector. The life support system maintains the required temperature, pressure, humidity and gas mixture composition in the chamber of the biological object. The control system makes it possible to carry out biomedical experiments in the automatic mode according to a specified program or by commands from the ground control post. The control system is designed to measure the parameters of the environment and the biological object. The module supports visualization of objects in the UV-VIS-IR spectral range, fluorescence analysis, temperature and humidity measurement at several points, pressure, concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Additional sensors can be used depending on the goals of the experiment. A module prototype was made and a number of tests were carried out to confirm the adequacy of the engineering solutions proposed. In particular, the vacuum chamber tests showed that the pressure loss in the pressure hull does not exceed 20% per year. A number of biological experiments demonstrated the possibility of initialization, growth and life support of various biological objects during a long, up to two months, period.

With the launch of aerospace business, the national space agency has been working actively to improve the living environment of astronauts in outer space. Since 1980s, space food has been greatly enriched, except the differences in form, most of the foods on earth can be enjoyed in space. In this article, the space foods are classified, in general divided into five parts that include natural form food, intermediate moisture food, thermostabilized food, rehydrating food and irradiated food. New type of space food processing technology is also reviewed, including freeze-drying, irradiation sterilization, high pressure processing, microwave assisted thermal sterilization, food 3 D printing and the packaging of space food products, mainly including the packaging materials already used by the present space food system, and the feasibility analysis of some emerging high barrier packaging materials in the research stage. Finally, the review highlights the prospects of future space food system, including the development of in-orbit food preparation technology and the research of life support system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The primary objective was to assess the incidence of pressure ulcer (PU) in patients at high risk of PU and lying between 15–20 hours per day on an alternating-pressure mattress overlay (APMO). Secondary objectives were the patient's satisfaction with the comfort of the APMO, patient acceptance of its sound level, and the care team's assessment of its use and the moisture level. Method: This prospective observational study was conducted in three rehabilitation centres and two nursing homes between June 2016 and March 2017. To be included, patients should not have PU at baseline and present a high risk of PU (Braden score between 10–15). The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients in whom a PU developed over a 35-day period. Results: A total of 83 patients were included in the study. Neurological disease was responsible for the reduced mobility of 44 (53.7%) patients, 10 patients (12.0%) dropped out (one patient for a serious adverse event (femoral neck fracture) considered not to be related to the APMO, four patients for adverse events, two of which were considered to be related to APMO and five for other reasons, including, in one case, discomfort with the APMO. These patients were considered in the analysis. Over the study period, 1.2% (1/83) (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.03 to 6.53) of patients developed a PU. Patient satisfaction with the comfort of the APMO, patient acceptance of its sound level, and the care team's assessment of its use were considered satisfying for most patients. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study of a low incidence of PU in participating patients, the use of an AMPO is recommended in high-risk patients lying for between 15–20 hours a day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Future manned space travel will require efficient recycling of nutrients from organic waste back into food production. Microbial systems are a low-energy, efficient means of nutrient recycling, but their use in a life support system requires predictability and reproducibility in community formation and reactor performance. To assess the reproducibility of microbial community formation in fixed-film reactors, we inoculated replicate anaerobic reactors from two methanogenic inocula: a lab-scale fixed-film, plug-flow anaerobic reactor and an acidic transitional fen. Reactors were operated under identical conditions, and we assessed reactor performance and used 16s rDNA amplicon sequencing to determine microbial community formation. Reactor microbial communities were dominated by similar groups, but differences in community membership persisted in reactors inoculated from different sources. Reactor performance overlapped, suggesting a convergence of both reactor communities and organic matter mineralization. The results of this study suggest an optimized microbial community could be preserved and used to start new, or restart failed, anaerobic reactors in a life support system with predictable reactor performance.

The retrospective analysis of geosystems is one of the most important methods of implementation of the historicism principle and assessment of conditions of use of the nature in the Holocene. The initial stage of such studies is analysis of the modern landscape structure and its detailed mapping. The purpose of the research is to develop methods for inventory and mapping of modern landscapes in the reconstruction of the original (natural) properties of anthropogenic complexes based on the interpretation of the Earth remote sensing data using geoinformation systems. The paper presents the results of a large-scale mapping of the restored landscapes of the territory of the Andreevskoe lake system (the interfluve of the Tura and Pyshma rivers). In the process of inventory and mapping of the landscape structure, special attention was paid to the definition of invariant features of landscapes. Vegetation and microrelief are the defining properties in the selection of species of the tracts. In the course of the landscape study, based on heterogeneous materials (space images, topographic maps, field surveys), 170 species of tracts belonging to 9 types of terrain were identified. Based on the experience of deciphering natural complexes and geobotanical studies using DDZ, the spectral angle methods (Spectral angle) and the maximum likelihood method (Maximum Likelihood). Classification with training was carried out in the following software packages: ArcGIS 10.3, ENVI 5.3 and Semi-Automatic Classification Plugin (SCP) module for QGIS 2.18.2. A large-scale map of reconstructed landscapes obtained in digital form is a necessary basic element for spatial modeling and further studies of the life support system and dynamics of the ancient population of the Andreevskoye Lake system and the adjacent territory of the Tura and Pyshma interfluve. A detailed cartographic database contains detailed information on the relief, type of soil and vegetation for each elementary landscape allotment, which will continue to use the resulting map as a factual basis for the evaluation of the territory resource base of the ancient and the modern population. Creation of a cartographic database by means of geoinformation systems will further involve a variety of tools for modeling and spatial analysis to solve research (archaeological) problems.

In the next 10 to 20 years humankind will return to the Moon and/or travel to Mars. It is likely that astronauts will eventually build permanent settlements there, as a base for long-term crew tended research tasks. It is obvious that the crew of such settlements will need food to survive. With current mission architectures the provision of food for longduration missions away from Earth requires a significant number of resupply flights. Furthermore, it would be infeasible to provide the crew with continuous access to fresh produce, specifically crops with high water content such as tomatoes and peppers, on account of their limited shelf life. A greenhouse as an integrated part of a planetary surface base would be one solution to solve this challenge for long-duration missions. Astronauts could grow their own fresh fruit and vegetables in-situ to be more independent from supply from Earth. This paper presents the results of the design project for such a greenhouse, which was carried out by DLR and its partners within the framework of the Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative (MELiSSA) program. The consortium performed an extensive system analysis followed by a definition of system and subsystem requirements for greenhouse modules. Over 270 requirements were defined in this process. Afterwards the consortium performed an in-depth analysis of illumination strategies, potential growth accommodations and shapes for the external structure. Five different options for the outer shape were investigated, each of them with a set of possible internal configurations. Using the Analytical Hierarchy Process, the different concept options were evaluated and ranked against each other. The design option with the highest ranking was an inflatable outer structure with a rigid inner core, in which the subsystems are mounted. The inflatable shell is wrapped around the core during launch and transit to the lunar surface. The paper provides an overview of the final design, which was further detailed in a concurrent engineering design study. During the study, the subsystem parameters (e.g. mass, power, performance) were calculated and evaluated. The results of the study were further elaborated, leading to a lunar greenhouse concept that fulfils all initial requirements. The greenhouse module has a total cultivation area of more than 650 m² and provides more than 4100 kg of edible dry mass over the duration of the mission. Based on the study, the consortium also identified technology and knowledge gaps (not part of this paper), which have to be addressed in future projects to make the actual development of such a lunar greenhouse, and permanent settlements for long-term human-tended research tasks on other terrestrial bodies, feasible in the first place.

The EDEN ISS project has the objective to test key technologies and processes for higher plant cultivation with a focus on their application to long duration spaceflight. A mobile plant production facility was designed and constructed by an international consortium and deployed to the German Antarctic Neumayer Station III. Future astronaut crews, even if well-trained and provided with detailed procedures, cannot be expected to have the competencies needed to deal with all situations that will arise during a mission. Future space crews, as they are today, will be supported by expert backrooms on the ground. For future space-based greenhouses, monitoring the crops and the plant growth system increases system reliability and decreases the crew time required to maintain them. The EDEN ISS greenhouse incorporates a Plant Health Monitoring System to provide remote support for plant status assessment and early detection of plant stress or disease. The EDEN ISS greenhouse has the capability to automatically capture and distribute images from its suite of 32 high-definition color cameras. Collected images are transferred over a satellite link to the EDEN ISS Mission Control Center in Bremen and to project participants worldwide. Upon reception, automatic processing software analyzes the images for anomalies, evaluates crop performance, and predicts the days remaining until harvest of each crop tray. If anomalies or sub-optimal performance is detected, the image analysis system generates automatic warnings to the agronomist team who then discuss, communicate, or implement countermeasure options. A select number of Dual Wavelength Spectral Imagers have also been integrated into the facility for plant health monitoring to detect potential plant stress before it can be seen on the images taken by the high-definition color cameras. These imagers and processing approaches are derived from traditional space-based imaging techniques but permit new discoveries to be made in a facility like the EDEN ISS greenhouse in which, essentially, every photon of input and output can be controlled and studied. This paper presents a description of the EDEN ISS Plant Health Monitoring System, basic image analyses, and a summary of the results from the initial year of Antarctic operations.