1. 1 European Space Agency MELiSSA The European project of closed life support Christel Paille ISLSWG, ALTEC Turin, 18 May 2015

2. 2 European Space Agency Outline Closed life support system The MELiSSA project Flight precursors Roadmap(s) Near term achievments

3. 3 European Space Agency Closed Life support scope With 25 years experience, 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 –Risk assessment and mitigation strategy for Life support and environmental control systems –Development of tools to predictably control life support technologies Air revitalisation Food production Wastes management Water treatment (grey, yellow, black) Life support system evaluation Microbial risk, chemical risk, quality control Closed regenerative life support system

4. 4 European Space Agency The MELiSSA concept

5. 5 European Space Agency Major technology objective Closed loop (water, air, food) system components Unlimited Resources Unlimited Waste «Juvenile» system system component system Component «Mature» system

6. 6 European Space Agency Nutrients + biCarbonate Oxygen Biomass Micro-Algae 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

7. 7 European Space Agency CO 2 Nutrients Oxygen Proteins Micro-Algae 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

8. 8 European Space Agency Oxygen Proteins Micro-Algae CO2 Nutrients NITRIFICATION Yellow Water 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

9. 9 European Space Agency MELiSSA Roadmap

10. 10 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

11. 11 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

12. 12 European Space Agency Education experiment Education experiment aiming at demonstrate that a micro-algae is able to recycle CO 2 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/leerlingen- gesprek-met-de-ruimte-a7157 http://deschuurvanscheire.een.be/bel len-tot-buiten-de-dampkring http://deschuurvanscheire.een.be/bel len-tot-buiten-de-dampkring

13. 13 European Space Agency MELiSSA Pilot Plant MELiSSA Pilot Plant: Demonstration CIVa/CV –Closed air loop –Conversion CO2/O2 –Predictive control

14. 14 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

15. 15 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….