Developing an alternative medium for in-space biomanufacturing

Area of Science:

• Astrobiology
• Biotechnology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Long-term human space missions require sustainable, self-sufficient life support systems.
• Current in-space biomanufacturing relies on Earth-supplied feedstocks, hindering economic viability and scalability.
• Reducing dependence on Earth resupply is crucial for extraterrestrial habitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and assess an alternative feedstock-driven in-situ biomanufacturing (AF-ISM) process.
• To evaluate the utilization of novel feedstocks for biomanufacturing in space.
• To determine the economic feasibility of AF-ISM for producing valuable compounds like lycopene.

Main Methods:

• Investigated Martian/Lunar regolith, recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and fecal waste as alternative feedstocks (AF).
• Utilized Rhodococcus jostii PET strain S6 (RPET S6) for lycopene production.
• Conducted experiments under simulated microgravity conditions and performed economic analysis.

Main Results:

• RPET S6 successfully utilized regolith simulant for mineral requirements.
• Anaerobically pretreated fecal waste enhanced RPET S6 cell growth.
• Lycopene production in microgravity using AF was comparable to Earth-based production.
• AF-ISM demonstrated significant cost reductions compared to conventional methods.

Conclusions:

• AF-ISM is a viable strategy to reduce reliance on Earth-based feedstocks for in-space biomanufacturing.
• The use of regolith, recycled PET, and waste offers a sustainable feedstock solution.
• This approach significantly enhances the economic feasibility of establishing self-sufficient extraterrestrial habitats.