Latest in enclosed biosphere / habitat research?

[jmilsom]

I am interested in the current state of affairs in enclosed biosphere / habitat research. I remember years ago, there was a great experiment in the desert in the US somewhere, where a bunch of people locked themselves in an enclosed habitat. It was later thrown into disrepute as the results were said to be faked (i.e. they had goods supplied into their system).<br /><br />Where is the field today? Is NASA sponsoring any research? How close are we to getting to a self-sustaining closed biosphere? Obviously my interest relates to space stations, moon bases and the like. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[mrmorris]

Well Bisphere 2 is up for sale. Got a few million dollars burning a hole in your pocket? Supposedly Ed Bass spent 200 million developing it -- you could probably pick it up for pennies on the dollar... 40 million max. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />

 

[jmilsom]

Hey great link. Thanks! That brings me up to date on Biosphere2. But is anyone anywhere making progress in this field. The biosphere project was perhaps a little grandiose and ill-conceived. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[jmilsom]

Ok. I've been doing some searches on the net. I found a great bibliography of biospherics and closed ecological systems here:<br /><br />http://www.biospheres.com/b2papers.html<br /><br />and links to a whole range of related research fields here:<br /><br />http://www.astrobiology.com/support.html <br /><br />Much of this seems dated though, anyone know what NASA is doing now? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[tap_sa]

The russians are planning a 500 day mock up Mars flight. It's more living-in-a-can than real biosphere experiment.

 

[claywoman]

I always thought it would work and thought it would be kind of cool not to be in contact with anyone else for two years. Unfortunately they wouldn't take someone like me...old, crippled and tired...hehe I honestly don't know if it would work or not, they didn't stay in it for two years. I would love to see someone take over the project and make a try at this...if they can overcome some of the problems....

 

[jmilsom]

Thanks that clears it up a lot for me. I guess it is more a question of the most efficient atmospheric maintenance tehnologies. And from a biological point of view, the most efficient and cost effective waste vs recycling ratio.<br /><br />If we had a base on the moon, what would we gain that would reduce the costs of these systems. How would atmospheric and boiological recycling differ between a moon base and a space station? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[najab]

><i>I agree. The Biosphere project was "a bridge too far".</i><p>It may not have been a bridge too far, but a bridge poorly constructed. I have read in a few different places that one of the main reasons that Biosphere2 failed was because it wasn't really a closed system. There was <b>way</b> too much organic material in the soil and, combined with the thousands of tons of curing concrete in the foundation, this totally messed up the 'closed' cycle.<p>It can take 5-10 years for that large a body of concrete to cure to the point that it wouldn't have affected the biosphere experiement.</p></p>

 

[bobvanx]

The lessons learned from such a "permeable" closed system would help us rebuild our urban areas and our energy and food distribution infrastructures.<br /><br />We waste 40% of the food grown in the US. Forty Percent. We waste between 20% and 50% of our fresh water (depending on whose statistics you use, and where you draw the line for "waste"). Investigating semi-closed systems would inform us about population density, tolerance, resource management, open space management, and on and on.<br /><br />Entirely new industries and careers will be created as we invent these things. Unfortunately, Bechtel and Halliburton are already emplaced, and ready to move on this. I'd rather have new players.