The necessity for self-sufficient life support systems is a crucial aspect of long-duration space missions. These systems must efficiently recycle or produce vital resources like water, oxygen, and food. Drawing on over 30 years of experience from the MELiSSA project, ESA now seeks to advance these systems through innovative ideas and collaborations.
The campaign focuses on three main challenges: optimizing biomass composition for crew diets, developing efficient waste-to-product routes, and mitigating virus and phage risks in life support processes. It aims to identify technologies and methods that improve the sustainability and effectiveness of life support systems in space, with potential commercial and terrestrial applications.
Ideas should address the outlined challenges and contribute to the development of circular, closed-loop life support systems.
Details and submission guidelines are available on the OSIP website. The deadline for idea submission is 29th January 2024 (please refer to the Campaign for the latest information).