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Biomaterials for organically generated habitats beyond Earth
Robin Wordsworth1,2, Rafid Quayum1,3, 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.
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.
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