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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 17, 2025

Propagation of Dental and Respiratory Cells and Organs in Microgravity

Propagation of Dental and Respiratory Cells and Organs in Microgravity

Published on: May 25, 2021

Biomaterials for organically generated habitats beyond Earth.

Robin Wordsworth^1,2, Rafid Quayum^1,3, Elida Kocharian²

¹School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

Science Advances

|July 2, 2025

Summary

Biological materials can be used to create habitats on other planets, reducing the need for expensive Earth-based components. This sustainable approach enables life support in extraterrestrial environments.

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Area of Science:

Astrobiology
Materials Science
Biotechnology

Background:

Space exploration necessitates extraterrestrial habitats.
Current habitat construction relies on costly Earth-based materials.
In situ resource utilization is key for sustainable space missions.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the use of biologically generated materials for extraterrestrial habitat fabrication.
To assess the suitability of biomaterials for creating stable environments for liquid water.
To demonstrate the feasibility of growing organisms in biologically fabricated habitats under simulated extraterrestrial conditions.

Main Methods:

Testing common biomaterials for UV blocking, light transmission, and pressure maintenance capabilities.
3D printing a habitat using polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic.
Culturing eukaryotic green algae within the 3D printed habitat under a 600 Pa carbon dioxide atmosphere.

Main Results:

Several biomaterials effectively blocked UV radiation and transmitted visible light.
Biomaterials maintained pressure differences, stabilizing liquid water in vacuum conditions.
Eukaryotic green algae successfully grew in the 3D printed bioplastic habitat under Mars-relevant atmospheric conditions.

Conclusions:

Biologically generated materials can be utilized for in situ fabrication of extraterrestrial habitats.
This approach offers a scalable and sustainable method for supporting life beyond Earth.
The findings support the potential for future construction of human habitats using biological resources.