Biological Life Support Systems (BLSS)

BLSS activity concerns the works on the Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative (MELiSSA) supported by European Space Agency (ESA).

Contacts : C. Creuly ,L. Poughon , JF. Cornet, C.G. Dussap

Context

In human spaceflight, a life support system is a group of devices that allow a human being to survive in space, , on the Moon, and on Mars.. These systems for human spaceflight missions are usually called  environmental control and life support system (ECLSS) The life support system shall supply air, water and food and manage waste. It must also maintain the habitability of the spacecraft (temperature,pressure,..), shielding against harmful external influences (radiation, micro-meteorites,….). Components of the life support system are life-critical, and are designed and constructed using safety engineering techniques.

Advanced Life Support Systems (ALSS) supporting functions of atmosphere control, supply, and revitalization; water recovery and management; waste management; and food management are directed toward scientific research and technology development related to physical/chemical (P/C) and bioregenerative processes. P/C processes use traditional engineering methods, such as filtration, distillation, and oxidation; bioregenerative processes are performed by living organisms.

On Earth, biological agents, acting in concert with a biotic aspects of the biosphere, have provided a closed-loop life support system for millions of years. Bioregenerative life support systems are the only ALSS with which a complete closed system can be achieved, allowing autonomous life without resupply from Earth. They are based on the idea of utilizing the natural biological abilities of living organisms to provide life support in a microcosm. The challenge is to make the microcosm small and reliable and is linked to problematic on:

• Bioprocesses for anaerobic, aerobic and photosynthetics organisms
• Closed loop chain of processes (up to 100% closure)
• Control of bioprocesses and control of closed loop of bioprocesses
• Integration of bioprocesses and physic-chemical processes with ECLSS contraints
• Safety of bioprocesses

Main projects

The GePEB department is involved in the European Space Agency BLSS project MELiSSA and in several programs linked to MELiSSA activities such as cooperation with BIOS3 project developed by Russian Space Agency.