In-situ manufacturing of photobioreactors on the Moon using local resources

The cultivation of microorganisms using photobioreactors (PBRs) as part of a Life Support System (LSS) is a potential strategy to produce oxygen and food for astronauts to enable a greater degree of independence from Earth’s resupply missions. The initial setup and resupply of PBRs to sustain a growing lunar infrastructure could rely on in-situ manufacturing using local resources to reduce the need for resupply from Earth. In addition, fast and simplified maintenance of malfunctioning or broken PBRs or their components could be facilitated by utilising local resources. The objective of this paper is to analyse the feasibility of this approach and to provide an overview of the design requirements, components and materials typically used for PBRs, as well as to present out future research required to advance this field. The analysis shows that it is feasible to build structural metal parts of the PBR from lunar resources using current state-of-the-art ISRU technologies. Moreover, utilizing the synergies between PBRs and ISRU technologies to cover human metabolic needs can enhance reliability and sustainability. Ongoing research on producing transparent glass from lunar regolith lays the groundwork for manufacturing the cultivation chamber of a PBR. Manufacturing plastic and electric components from local resources is still challenging and does not seem feasible with current state-of-the-art ISRU technologies. More research is required to develop and optimise PBR and manufacturing technologies. Addressing the identified research gaps will advance the field of bioregenerative LSS and ISRU technologies, enabling a step further towards an independent crewed station on the Moon. • Feasibility study of in-situ manufacturing of photobioreactors (PBRs) on the Moon • ISRU technologies can be used for manufacturing glass and metal parts • In-situ manufacturing of plastic and electronic parts is yet not feasible • Synergies between PBRs and ISRU enhance LSS reliability and sustainability