MELiSSA

MELISSA (Micro - Ecological Life Support System Alternative) is an ESA project to investigate methods of recycling human waste and organic waste in long-term space flights. It has become an artificial ecosystems for future regenerative life support system dar. in the project include involved the following institutions: University of Ghent, University of Clermont -Ferrand, Autonomous University of Barcelona and the University of Guelph ( Canada). It is funded by the ESA, Spain, Belgium and Canada, partly through Ireland and the Netherlands. On the part of the ESA, it is divided into five phases of the project.

Project phases

Phase 1

The first phase is mainly basic research on the feasibility of the project. Each part of the Stoffkeislaufes is analyzed separately. The six most important chemical elements ( carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, phosphorus ) may be considered.

Phase 2

In parallel with Phase 1 studies are carried out to the airworthiness of the experiments in the second phase. Experiments such as MASK ( Microgravity Analysis of Spirulina Kinetics ), BIORAT, FEMME ( First Extraterrestrial Man Made Ecosystem ), and MESSAGE ( Microbial Experiment in Space Station About Gene Expression ) are triggered.

Phase 3

In the third phase will take place ground and space demonstrations. In Antarctica, creating a water recycling system for the Concordia station.

Phase 4

In the fourth phase will be held under the requirements of a space mission, a technology transfer.

Phase 5

Finally, the MELISSA project is to be presented to the general public in the fifth and final phase. 2007 150 scientific articles have been published, for example.