Page 88 - JCAU-5-3

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Regenerative algal futures

microbial organisms to bioleach into porous rock, creating
a new habitat for “cosmic tomatoes” to grow symbiotically
with urine. In Eu: CROPIS, E. gracilis is part of a system,
as it provides the Combined Regenerative Organic-food
Production (C.R.O.P. ) filter with oxygen allowing urine
®
to convert to nitrate, aiding tomatoes in the experiment
to gain sufficient oxygen to photosynthesize. Specifically,
E. gracilis acts as an aid to oxygen production where it is
part of a larger experiment, for an investigation into hybrid
combined biological life support systems.
Urine processing and water recycling systems are an
integral part of any BLSS, as systems should incorporate
circular closed loop or partially closed loop systems to
produce food, water, and oxygen from what is considered
as human and nonhuman “waste” (Verbeelen et al.,
2021). More research is needed for furthering methods Figure 2. A schematic representation of the Micro Ecological Life
pertaining to the nitrification of urine via ureolysis. Support System Alternative program (MELiSSA) loop, with the five
Bioregenerative systems for multiplanetary surfaces would compartments and their relations highlighted. Source: Courtesy of the
benefit from research incorporating “closed loop” human MELiSSA Foundation
and nonhuman waste management systems combined
with finding innovative ways of biological in-situ resource
utilization BISRU.
5.1. Micro Ecological Life Support System
Alternative program (MELiSSA)
Photobioreactor systems are placed within the European
Space Agency’s MELiSSA to create a circular regenerative
system. The system replicates a mountain lake ecosystem
(Volponi & Lasseur, 2020; Häder, 2020) and creates
a circular bioregenerative system for manned space
flights — recycling everything to form a mini ecosystem.
First, a liquefying stage uses bacteria to rejuvenate
human waste into ammonium, carbon dioxide, fatty
acids, and minerals (Volponi & Lasseur, 2020; Häder,
2020). The degradation is processed through proteolysis,
saccharolysis, and cellulolysis. The second stage is Figure 3. Micro Ecological Life Support System Alternative program
the “photoheterotrophic” phase and uses bacteria (MELiSSA) proposes regenerative life support technologies to produce
Rhodospirillum rubrum, discarding and destroying food, recovery of water, and atmosphere regeneration, together with
undesired products of the liquefying stage such as fatty waste reclamation. Source: MELiSSA Foundation
acids and other unwanted degraded products.
to grow. The nitrification stage of MELiSSA requires
In the third phase, bacteria are used for
nitrification — combining urine and “good outputs” from oxygen to be a necessary factor in the workings of the
process. The photoautotrophic phase splits into two parts
the first and second stages. The chemolithoautotroph for the next stage — first the “algae stage” and then a
Nitrosomonas europaea is used to oxidize ammonium NH 4 + “higher plants” stage. A photobioreactor is used to house
into nitrite ions NO . Furthermore, bacteria Nitrobacter spirulina (Hendrickx et al., 2006), which is also known
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winogradskyi is used to oxidize nitrite into nitrate NO , as Limnospira indica (Poughon et al., 2020). This can be
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creating a form of nitrate, which is used by higher plants used as a source of food protein for the crew/inhabitants.
and microalgae (Hendrickx et al. 2006).
Through the photobioreactor, spirulina is formed through
In the MELiSSA loop (Figures 2 and 3), forms of photosynthesis and turns into an edible mass — it produces
bacteria work together in symbiogenesis. Nitrogen fixing oxygen as well as a nonedible biomass (which would need
is established, enabling microalgae and higher plants to be processed before it is eaten) and is then furthered

Volume 5 Issue 3 (2023) 6 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.179