US EditionSynthetic Biology Could Support Future Outposts on the Moon and Mars
CHINA, JUL 14 – Using lunar soil samples from China’s Chang’e-5 mission, researchers developed a solar-powered system that could reduce water transport costs of $83,000 per gallon, aiding sustainable Moon missions.
- Recently, scientists at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, developed a sunlight-driven process using Chang'e 5 lunar soil samples to extract water and convert CO2 into oxygen and fuel, offering a sustainable resource solution.
- Given the cost of $83,000 per gallon and each astronaut needing four gallons daily, supply challenges hinder lunar missions.
- Inside the solar reactor, ilmenite acts as a key catalyst, and Lu Wang states that ilmenite in lunar soil plays a catalytic role.
- In terms of astronaut health, switching inflammasome pathways on demand may allow onboard bioreactors to produce personalized treatments, researchers led by Silvano Onofri suggest.
- Moving beyond the lab, Haihui Joy Jiang cautions that the Moon's extreme temperature swings, radiation, and low gravity will complicate deployment.
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36 Articles
CU students build virtual-reality moon-exploring robot
DENVER (KDVR) — Students at the University of Colorado Boulder are preparing to explore the moon from the comfort of an earthbound room, after designing a robot that can take them to the moon's surface via virtual reality. The student-built robot could help shape the future of lunar exploration — even though it currently lives in a quiet, carpeted office, the university said in a press release. What to expect for severe storms rolling throu…
A new technology could help humans survive on the Moon, according to scientists at China University in Hong Kong, China.
Synthetic Biology Could Support Future Outposts on the Moon and Mars
When we leave Earth, we have to bring everything with us, from the air we breathe to the food we eat. For example, a 6-person, 1000-day mission might require 108 tonnes of food. In a new paper, researchers suggest ways that synthetic biology could allow us to convert local resources, regenerate resources in closed-loop environments, protect explorers from radiation, and create custom medicine on demand to support long-term space exploration.
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