Functional architecture and development of the CAB bioregenerative system

Abstract

<div class="htmlview paragraph">The Bioregenerative Life Support program CAB (Controllo Ambientale Biorigenerativo) is a key element of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) Medicine & Biotechnology scientific program, set forth in the ASI Activity Plan 2006-2008 [<span class="xref">01</span>], [<span class="xref">02</span>], [<span class="xref">03</span>].</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">The CAB program team performed a one-year feasibility study of a controlled biological life support system (BLSS), allowing the regeneration of resources and the production of food for life support in long duration missions, under the prime contractorship of Thales Alenia Space - Italia, defining:</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph"> <ul class="list disc"> <li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">State of art in the field</div></li> <li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Functional and technical requirements for the BLSS</div></li> <li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Functional architecture and preliminary sizing of a BLSS for planetary surface</div></li> <li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Development plan with associated scientific activities and technological demonstration.</div></li> </ul> </div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">This paper focuses on the description of functional architecture, preliminary sizing and development of the CAB system, mainly dealing with:</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph"> <ul class="list disc"> <li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Plant physiology versus space environment;</div></li> <li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Crop characterization for food production;</div></li> <li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Plant cultivation technologies - nutrient delivery, illumination, automation and robotics</div></li> <li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Air regeneration for production of O2, removal of CO2, trace gas monitoring and control;</div></li> <li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Water regeneration, management and monitoring</div></li> <li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Waste processing</div></li> <li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Storage of resources</div></li> <li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Control of environmental conditions(thermal-hygrometric, pressure, radiation, etc).</div></li> </ul> </div>