preprints.org > physical sciences > space science > doi: 10.20944/preprints202405.0671.v1

Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Version 1 : Received: 10 May 2024 / Approved: 10 May 2024 / Online: 10 May 2024 (10:49:27 CEST)

This paper explores the development of life support systems (LSS) for human space exploration, emphasizing the need for sustainable solutions to support long-term missions beyond Low Earth Orbit. As humanity seeks to explore and potentially colonize distant planets, maintaining a habitable environment in space poses significant challenges. Life support systems must manage air quality, water supply, temperature, humidity, and waste while ensuring crew safety in environments devoid of breathable air and exposed to harmful cosmic radiation. The International Space Station's (ISS) Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) represents a significant advancement, demonstrating that humans can live in space for extended periods with a combination of recycling and Earth-based resupply. However, future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond require more advanced, self-sustaining systems. This paper examines technological advancements such as closed-loop systems, bio-regenerative life support systems (BLSS), and In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), focusing on their potential to reduce reliance on Earth-based resupply. Projects like NASA's Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE) and ESA's MELiSSA initiative offer promising solutions for future deep space exploration. By enhancing recycling, integrating ISRU, and improving energy efficiency, future life support systems will support humanity's journey into the cosmos, paving the way for sustainable space exploration and eventual colonization.

ECLSS; International Space Station (ISS); NASA; MELISSA; BLSS, MOXIE; ISRU

Physical Sciences, Space Science

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