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MELiSSA The European project of closed life support Christel Paille ISLSWG, ALTEC Turin, 18 May 2015 1 European Space Agency Outline • Closed life support system • The MELiSSA project • Flight precursors • Roadmap(s) • Near term achievments 2 European Space Agency Closed Life support scope With 25 years experience, Closed regenerative life support system ESA is now a key player for : – Development of key regenerative technologies to provide consumables to the crew – Development of tools to monitor and control environmental quality – Development of key regenerative technologies to manage organic wastes Food production Wastes management Water treatment (grey, yellow, black) Air revitalisation – Risk assessment and mitigation strategy for Life support and environmental control systems – Development of tools to predictably control life support technologies 3 Life support system evaluation Microbial risk, chemical risk, quality control European Space Agency The MELiSSA concept 4 European Space Agency Major technology objective Closed loop (water, air, food) • «Mature» system «Juvenile» system system component system components Unlimited Resources 5 Unlimited Waste system Component system Component European Space Agency Progressive demonstrator 1/3, ARTEMISS (CIVa) Selected from ELIPS AO-2006, Phase C/D development started in 2012, Expected outputs: • A. platensis growth Kinetics in space environment • Genome evolution Micro-AlgaeOxygen Nutrients + biCarbonate 6 Biomass European Space Agency Progressive demonstrator 2/3, BIORAT 1 (CV-CIVa) • Link between a producer CIVa and the consumer CV at gas level recycling. • 1 month ground demonstration (in 2000) with predictive control 7 Oxygen CO 2 Nutrients Micro-Algae Proteins European Space Agency Progressive demonstrator 3/3, BIORAT 2 (CV-CIVa + Nitrifying C) Adding a urine recycling to BIORAT-1 process Nitrogen recovery from urine Preparation of necessary step for higher plant cultures and for water recycling Dynamic equilibrium of respiratory coefficient between the photosynthetic compartment and the consumer Yellow Water Oxygen CO2 NITRIFICATION Nutrients 8 Micro-Algae Proteins European Space Agency MELiSSA Roadmap 9 European Space Agency Flight experiment : MELiSSA MELONDAU & Spirulina Snack Mission Samantha Cristoforetti & Andreas Mogensen BiSTRO: MELiSSA bioprocess recovery after spaceflight DEMES: Demonstration of MELiSSA snacks (Crew perception): Improve ground production processes Prepare the development of in orbit food production 10 European Space Agency Flight Experiment ArtEMISS Technology to produce Spirulina/Oxygen ArtEMISS B/C Expected Output: Validation of the Technology and production processes Batch/Continuous Robustness of model and the long term stability of the compartment in space environment 11 European Space Agency Education experiment • Education experiment aiming at demonstrate that a micro-algae is able to recycle CO2 from our exhaled air into oxygen through photosynthesis on ground and in space – 1000 schools in Europe – 12-14 years old Students – Ground experiment has been successfully performed during Samantha Cristoforetti mission – In-flight call was successfully performed (hosted by a MELiSSA partner) • http://rtv.be/artikels/leerlingengesprek-met-de-ruimte-a7157 • http://deschuurvanscheire.een.be/bel len-tot-buiten-de-dampkring 12 European Space Agency MELiSSA Pilot Plant • MELiSSA Pilot Plant: Demonstration CIVa/CV – Closed air loop – Conversion CO2/O2 – Predictive control 13 European Space Agency MELiSSA Pilot Plant 1. MELiSSA Pilot Plant: Demonstration CIII/CIVa/CV 2. Closed gas loop CIII/CIVa/CV 3. Conversion CO2/O2 4. Liquid coupling between CIII/CIVa 14 European Space Agency Conclusions • 25 years of ground R&D with a progressive approach to engineering of complex system • Robust characterization of the technologies for successful loop integration and closure • Past and current flight experiments demonstrate the need of application oriented scientific activities in LEO • Process initiated for air revitalisation, water treatment and food production • Technology demonstrators in development • More challenges to come…. 15 European Space Agency