biospheres

To sustain life on Mars the need to grow food is fundamental.

Issues

radiation levels are 2.5 times higher on the surface of Mars than on the ISS

45-50sq m of crops need to be grown per person to sustain basic food.

microbes are not going to survive for very long on Mars

extraction techniques required to make soil

need for worms

One proposed solution is that of Biospheres or Biodomes

Completely contained, closed-loop shelter that has gardens for growing food, recycled water, and other natural systems that use internal resources to support the humans living there.

Rather than surface Biospheres underground production chambers could be used to protect from UV radiation and reduce heating; Lighting would need to be supplied by mirrors from the surface with UV filters.

Robotic bulldozers and mining vehicles would be needed to construct the chambers.

Mars soil will require amendments with organic material and microbial inoculations. composting of human waste products to supplement the plant nutrients will help.

Future astronauts may grow some of their meals inside greenhouses, such as this Martian growth chamber, where fruits and vegetables could be grown hydroponically, without soil.

China "Moon Palace 1"

Bio-regenerative Life Support System (BLSS)

A 500-cubic meter module in China's is the world's third bioregenerative life support base.

Earth-based experimental unit designed for a closed ecological system used for life support in setting up a moon base and in carrying out future Mars exploration projects and other space programs. Divided into one living module, and two plant cultivation modules.

Captain Xie Beizhen and crew members Wang Minjuan and Dong Chen

In the spring of 2014 three volunteers lived for 105 days in an enclosed capsule, eating only laboratory-grown plants and insects.

The research team raised 15 types of vegetables, the crew grew lentils and cucumber vine plants, five kinds of grain, one fruit and yellow mealworms, which were consumed for protein.

A primary concern was that the self-contained lab might not produce sufficient oxygen for the volunteers, but that proved not to be a problem. Physiologically, the three researchers had to adjust to high levels of carbon dioxide, which causes accelerated heart rates and sometimes breathing difficulties, Wang Minjuan said "little things, like sunlight, were sorely missed".