1 Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLCHow to Grow a Mars Base Sustaining Life on Mars is More than Just Whether a Plant Will Grow Morgan Irons Student | Duke University Founder and Chief Science Officer | Deep Space Ecology LLC Afternoon everyone. My name is Morgan Irons. I am a student at Duke University and the founder and chief science officer of Deep Space Ecology. I am currently working on a dual thesis in environmental science and biology. (CLICK) My biological research consists of testing of pre-treatments for the growth and survival of crops under regolith conditions, for which I started writing the experimental procedure in September of 2015 and commenced preparation and testing in January of Although I have learned many interesting things about what to do and what not to do, and though this information is vital to being well prepared and equipped to grow plants on Mars, I can tell you that sustaining life on Mars is about more than whether a plant will grow. My talk today is not on my current biological experiments, but is on my environmental science thesis that I started preparing in January of 2015, on the development of closed ecological systems for sustainable space habitation. Today I am going to address what my environmental science research indicates are requirements for establishing a permanent human presence on Mars. So to begin, what is a closed ecological system? An ecological system is a system involving the interactions between a community of living organisms in a particular area and its nonliving environment. A closed ecological system, or CES, is an ecosystem that is sealed off from everything outside of it. You can imagine why this would be important in space, considering humans and plants cannot survive in a vacuum. Living on Mars, a CES would provide a separate biosphere for living things, such as plants, the microorganisms that help plants grow, the humans that need plants to thrive, and the air, soil, water, and energy that support the cycles of life. Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

2 History of CESs for Space Habitation1895 K.E. Tsiolkovsky publishes Dreams of the Earth and Sky, first detailing the use of plants in space exploration 1926 K.E. Tsiolkovsky publishes Plan of Space Exploration 1950s U.S. Air Force supports green algae closed systems research for oxygen supply 1963 The Institute of Biomedical Problems (IBMP) is founded in the Soviet Union with a department researching biotechnology for biological life support systems 1963 Soviet Union scientist, Ye.Ya. Shepelev starts developing closed ecological system concepts for space applications 1964 Soviet Union Bios-1 two-link (“human-microalgae”) system experiment 1965 NASA Ames Research Center meeting on Bioregenerative Systems 1969 Soviet Union Bios-2 three-link (“human-microalgae-high plants”) system experiment 1971 Initiation of Soviet Union Bios-3 experimental complex 1974 Start of Soviet Union Bios-3 complex starts human life support experiments 1976 Snowmass Workshop results in concept of a Controlled Ecological Life Support System 1978 Initiation of NASA’s Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS) Much of what is known today about closed ecological systems for use in space is based on research done by the Soviet Union beginning in the 1960s; however, the idea of developing a CES for space habitation was written about in 1895 when Konstantin Tsiolkovsky published his book “Dreams of the Earth and Sky,” in which he depicts and details a CES on a space station. In the U.S. during the 1960s, NASA was first considering the possibility of using bioregenerative systems in life support, but it wouldn’t be until 1978 that they initiated their Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems program, or CELSS. In conjunction, a group of mainly ecologists known as the Botkin group met to determine how ecology would play a role in bioregenerative and life support systems. Partnering with NASA, they came up with three foundational elements for developing a space-based: Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

3 Foundational Elements“…a regenerative space life support system would indeed be an ecosystem, but that it would resemble a terrestrial farm, rather than a typical isolated ecosystem; …humans would be a major component of the ecosystem; …an ecological life support system would have a goal, unlike a natural ecosystem, namely the support and sustenance of its human beings.” - “Space Ecosynthesis: An Approach to the design of Closed Ecosystems for Use in Space” MacElroy et al. (1978) 1. The life support system would resemble a terrestrial farm. 2. Humans would be a major component. 3. The purpose would be to support human life. NASA would go on to use these foundational elements as a bases for future approaches. However, not everyone was thinking along these same lines. Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

4 Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC1985 Conclusion of Soviet Union Bios-3 complex human life support experiments 1985 Initiation of Kennedy Space Center Breadboard Project to support NASA’s CELSS and Advanced Life Support (ALS) programs 1987 Biosphere 2 Test Module 1989 Initiation of European Space Agency (ESA) Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative (MELiSSA) 1990s Initiation of NASA Johnson Space Center Advanced Life Support System Test Bed (ALSSTB) 1991 Biosphere 2 Mission One Begins with an eight-member crew 1994 Japan starts construction of the Closed Ecology Experiment Facilities (CEEF) 1994 Biosphere 2 Second Closure Experiment 1995 The Lunar-Mars Life Support Test Project (LMLSTP) starts Phase I Test 2002 Laboratory Biosphere preparation for Mars on Earth Project (Santa Fe, NM) 2005 MELiSSA becomes fully operational 2012 Initiation of NASA’s In-Situ Resource Utilization Analog Missions Biosphere 2 decided to utilize actual biomes in its CES design. It incorporated seven different Earth biotopes in one structure, those biotopes being: tropical forest, ocean, desert, steppe, field and farm, and the human habitat for a crew of 8 persons. The first mission was in 1991. The Biosphere 2 experiments received criticism for their endeavors to recreate earth in a closed structure. Biosphere 2 ended up having to be opened due to the system experiencing ecological system malfunctions, such as: Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

5 Biosphere 2 MalfunctionsEnvironmental Disruption Technological Disruption Biological Disruption Psychological Disruption “The stability of the biosphere as a whole, and its ability to evolve, depend. . . on the fact that it is a system of relatively independent biogeocoenoses (biomes) which compete for habitat, substance, and energy and so provides for the evolution of the biosphere as a whole.” ~ M.M. Kamshilov Environmental disruption driven by the unnatural adjacency of the seven biomes. Technological disruption from the curing cement from the enclosure absorbing oxygen. Biological disruption due to decomposition in excess of growth in ratios not found in the natural development of floral systems. Psychological disruption of humans due to the stresses of a maladjusted ecological system. What we learned from Biosphere 2 is that setting up a self-sustaining ecosystem is about more than putting a bunch of nature under a dome. And yet, the Biosphere 2 experiment seems to try to embrace the concept that Russian researcher Kamshilov worked to popularize (CLICK): “The stability of the biosphere as a whole, and its ability to evolve, depend. . . on the fact that it is a system of relatively independent biogeocoenoses (biomes) which compete for habitat, substance, and energy and so provides for the evolution of the biosphere as a whole.” Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

6 Current Efforts in Space HabitationHuman Models HI SEAS, FMARS, MDRS, Aquarius Reef Base Human-Technology Models Environmental Control and Life Support Systems Example: Space Shuttle, ISS, Bigelow Habitation Modules Human-Technology-Biology Models In-situ resource utilization (ISRU) systems In-situ fabrication and repair (ISFR) systems Bio-regenerative systems Greenhouse and hydroponic systems Since Biosphere 2, many more efforts have commenced to enable humans to live in isolation from their daily Earth habitat while meeting the space mission criteria. Human models have been specifically designed to test systems closed to external human interaction. While helpful in predicting the mental and physiological affects of long-term isolation, these models are conducted within the natural environment of Earth, and are not meant to test ecological feasibility. Human-Technology models test the ability of engineered systems to replace the functions of Earth’s natural ecosystems. These systems work well when there are regular resupply runs and a means for humans to get back to civilization quickly in the event of a technological failure or accident. For example, the ISS receives regular resupply shipments from Earth to replace food stores, air scrubber chemical packs, and water purification filters and consumables, and to haul away trash, spent cartridges, and replaced parts. The ISS also has the Soyuz capsules that can be used by the crew to escape quickly if necessary and be back on the surface of Earth within hours. Human-Technology-Biology models introduce bio-regenerative technology in place of man-made technology in an attempt to reduce the need for man-made consumables and repair parts. This particular model considers the need to reduce the cost of the supply chain to remote locations, such as Mars. It helps make human space exploration more politically palatable. These new models also start using concepts like in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and in-situ repair and fabrication (ISRF) to reduce the cost of pre-fabricating parts on Earth and shipping them to remote locations such as Mars. The general idea is to ship just the right selection of technology and biology to Mars in order to establish a mostly Earth-independent mission. NASA’s definition of Earth independence is 1100 days. But can human-tech-bio models truly accomplish this goal? Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

7 System Has a High Risk of Failure – Why?Thought Experiment Closed-loop ISRU System with Habitation and Greenhouse Systems Designed for Function and Performance Redundancy in Critical Systems Minimize Earth-to-Mars Supply Chain Costs Microalgae Bioreactors for Generating Oxygen Well, let’s see. The schematic on the slide is from a patent that was issued for an ISRU plan. It is designed to support a Martian greenhouse and/or hydroponics systems for growing food. It is a typical engineered system, meeting standard engineering principles of function and performance, redundancy as needed to mitigate the risk of downtime, and do so at minimal life-cycle cost. It eliminates the need for some spare parts by incorporating bio-regenerative technology, thus reducing earth-to-mars supply chain costs. I would bring your attention to the portion of the system that uses microalgae to produce oxygen (CLICK). Consider such a system operating on a Mars base. All systems are up and running and we have been growing food. We are near the end of our initial 1100 day run at which point we will get a resupply of some spare parts from Earth. Suddenly, Microalgae Bioreactor Line 1 goes down. (CLICK) No problem. This is a critical system, so we have a redundant Line 2 we can bring up and operate while trouble-shooting and fixing Line 1. Then line 2 goes down (CLICK) before we have even started trouble-shooting the problems with Line 1. Given time to investigate what went wrong, we would discover that all of the microalgae died in both lines. (CLICK) What killed the algae? Did the epigenetics or genetics evolve to a non-functional state in the alien environment of lower gravity and higher ambient radiation? Is there an alien bio-vector present in the Martian environment that we had not discovered yet and that killed the algae? Maybe a trace chemical in the Martian water? (CLICK) This kind of problem takes years for biologists to figure out, but our Martian explorers don’t have years. They have to make a decision now on whether to do a forced evacuation. Line 1 Goes Down Cao et al. US Patent No.: US 8,978,293 B2. Mar. 17, 2015. Line 2 Goes Down Algae in Both Lines Died System Has a High Risk of Failure – Why? Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

8 What Is The Real ProblemAnswer 1: The alien environment threw us a curve ball. Answer 2: There were insufficient resources to sustain the humans. So what is the real problem in this thought experiment? Is it that (CLICK) we did not know about this adverse effect of the Martian environment on the microalgae? Or is it that we (CLICK) did not have sufficient resilience to adapt to a problem that we did not predict or know about? I suggest that answer 2 is the more productive answer to consider. After all, we will never know everything we would like to know before we send humans to Mars. So (CLICK) how do we make a human stay on mars more sustainable? In other words, no need to do forced emergency evacuations. How Do We Make a Human Presence on Mars More Sustainable? Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

9 Human Social and Adaptive HistoryHunter-Gatherer Tribe Feudal Agricultural Community New York City Metropolitan Area To understand this, we need to briefly review the history of human adaptation and social development. (CLICK) Earliest archeological records have humans in small groups of hunter-gatherers, living in a locality in which they have become familiar with use of the natural resources. (CLICK) From there, humans adapted and evolved to an agrarian society in which they had a central support village and surrounding crop fields. (CLICK) Modern cities are what eventually came from this adaptive process. It can be said that one of the reasons for human survival is their ability to adapt quickly to unplanned events. (CLICK) The tribe of humans living in a cave run out of local resources due to overuse. They need to find more resources. Where do they find them? They find them out in the wilderness outside of their known locality. (CLICK) Later in history, a local village is hit by a blight against their main food crop. What do they do? They go into the wilderness to find the food resources they need to survive until they can get to their next harvest. (CLICK) Recently, when New York City Metro Area was hit by Hurricane Sandy, supplies and resources came in from beyond the immediate agricultural zone surrounding the city. (CLICK) These examples reveal that the evolved ecological systems of Earth have always enabled human adaptation. Humans have evolved within this context. The Natural Human Ecological System Has Always Enabled Adaptation Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

10 Supportive vs. Competitive SystemsThought Experiment Problem: Engineered Systems Purposefully Use Supportive Redundancy Supportive System Competitive System The point is that you cannot establish a human ecological system that will actually support the survival of the humans without something that is called “Competitive Redundancy”. So the problem with the bio-regenerative system in our thought experiment is that it was designed with supportive redundancy in mind. Indeed, this is the most efficient engineered system one could build on Earth, a non-alien environment with all of the resources and spare parts relatively nearby. But nature reveals to us that supportive redundancy can lead to system failure or degradation. There are natural ecosystems on Earth that function in a supportive-redundant system, having evolved in isolated locations, undisturbed by outside (alien) influences. These natural systems have components that are the only things that fill their respective niches. They have no competitors. They are either the only provider of a resource or they are the only consumer of a resource. However, if a disturbance occurs to such a system to weaken or kill a component that is the only thing that fills its niche, the entire ecosystem can collapse. Thus, it is key to have a resilient system that has multiple living organisms competing for resources and multiple supplying the same resource. (CLICK) This way, if a particular organism dies, competitors can take up their market share, thus preventing the ecosystem from collapsing. Competitive Redundancy Enables Human Adaptability Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

11 Increases Risk of Failure of Permanent Human SettlementTwo Weaknesses Disruption of or Lack of Ecological Services The Biosphere 2 Problem Lack of Biological Competitive Redundancy The Engineered System Problem In summary, there are two weaknesses in standard engineered systems that follow the Human-Technology-Biology model. (CLICK) All past and existing attempts at designing systems that will permanently sustain human life in space with minimal to no support from Earth are at high risk of failing unless these two weaknesses are resolved. I propose a model that seeks to solve these two weaknesses. Increases Risk of Failure of Permanent Human Settlement Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

12 Models the Natural Human Ecological System on EarthThree Zone Model The Three Zone Model is based upon the way humans have always lived on Earth, as I described earlier. Consider a city. An urban ecological system not only has the city as a human habitation zone, but also has an agricultural zone both within and outside of it and a buffer zone of wild nature that encloses both the city and the agricultural areas. (CLICK) The habitation zone is needed to provide humans with a safe and healthy place to live and work. (CLICK) The agricultural zone provides a place where humans can grow the food they need. (CLICK) The ecological buffer zone provides ecological services needed to keep the habitation zone and agricultural zone healthy, while also providing a biodiversity that is needed for competitive redundancy. I don’t have the time to go into the landscape theory and ecological principles behind the importance of an ecological buffer zone, but I can tell you that it provides movement of energy and nutrient cycles throughout the system. Where without it, the system would become stagnate, as in biosphere 2. (CLICK) Consider for a moment a mission to Mars that builds a system following this model. The mission uses modules with fully engineered ECLSS systems as habitation zones. The mission plans to have thirty crops in its agricultural zone that will be planted in both hydroponic and soil systems. The mission also has over a thousand different seeds for plants that grow on Earth in dry and cool climates. We build the structures, set up the zones, harvest the in-situ resources from the Martian environment, plant the agriculture in a planned fashion, and plant the species of other plants in a scattered fashion in our ecological buffer zone. Over the course of attempting to grow the crops, we discover that, even though all thirty of our agriculture species did well in testing on Earth, 20 out of 30 of them fail on Mars. It is likely that we could have such a miserable success rate due to the fact that the plants are growing in an environment that is alien to their previous evolutionary path. What will likely cause the most challenge is that the microbiology that we bring with us that is needed to support the growing of plants will evolve quickly in the alien Martian environment and some will change the way they function, adversely impacting the plants and humans. So what will our humans do? They will need to adapt. They will need to go out into the wilderness of the ecological buffer zone, find the plants that are succeeding in the alien environment and domesticate them into the agricultural zone. The plants that are failing will be moved out into the ecological buffer zone where they will be allowed to grow wild and compete. Models the Natural Human Ecological System on Earth Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

13 Three Expectations for SuccessEnable Ecological Services Provide Competitive Redundancy Leverage Human Adaptability Thus, the third aspect of this model that raises the chance of success for our permanent Mars settlement is providing our humans with enough resources to adapt to the alien environment. As the plants that we take and the humans that stay on Mars continue to live and adapt on Mars, (CLICK) they will evolve into a uniquely Martian ecological system through ecological succession. Ecological Succession: System Must Evolve to Become Uniquely Martian Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

14 Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLCMars Epoch X1 Design My company, Deep Space Ecology, has been working on the designs for a CES that meets the criteria of the Three Zone Model. The Mars Epoch X1 design is based on the standard circular dome model. (CLICK) It’s dimensions of 170-m in diameter are the minimum that we believe to be necessary to support a base with eight humans while mitigating the risk of failure of settlement continuance. Meets Minimum Space Requirements for Eight People at 170 Meters Diameter Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

15 Plants Under Full Martian Radiation to Maximize Growth and EvolutionMars Epoch X1 Design The dome area contains both the agricultural zone and the ecological buffer zone, laid out in a pattern that maximizes the distribution of ecological services to the areas used for agriculture. The dome is transparent and provides no gamma radiation shielding. (CLICK) We believe it to be vital to allow the plants to adapt and evolve under the Martian ambient radiation conditions so that they become a uniquely Martian ecology. Plants Under Full Martian Radiation to Maximize Growth and Evolution Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

16 Habitation Zone ECLSS Modules to be Buried for Radiation ShieldingMars Epoch X1 Design The habitation zone is placed outside of the dome area. It is comprised of standard modules delivered from Earth to Mars with standard ECLSS systems. (CLICK) After connecting all of the modules together, they will be buried in two meters of regolith to provide radiation shielding and insulation to he inhabitants. Habitation Zone ECLSS Modules to be Buried for Radiation Shielding Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

17 Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLCMars Epoch X1 Design What is true about this entire setup is that things will not go as initially planned. (CLICK) Thus, the design intent is to enable human adaptation and survival in an alien environment with minimum to no support from Earth. Design Intent: Enable Human Adaptation and Survival with No Support from Earth Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

18 Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLCMars Epoch X2 Design Plans Collaborators To Be Prototyped in 2017 Test Plan: Material Selection Fabrication Methods Build Methods Expansion Methods Biological Selection Plan Ecological Succession Plan Deep Space Ecology has already commenced developing our Mars Epoch X2 design that allows for establishment of a human foothold on Mars and the gradual build-up of a CES to the requirements developed under the Mars Epoch X1 design. We are working on preliminary plans with ASTER Labs with intent to build the Mars Epoch X2 prototype starting next year. The prototype would not only test the final configuration, but would also test everything required to build it and to grow the ecological system in an environment simulating Mars conditions. Individuals who wish to contribute can do so starting in October through our crowd-funding partner, Orbitmuse. Individuals and companies wishing to collaborate can contact our CEO, Lee Irons, at Now, I have something cool to show you at the end, but first I need to make some acknowledgments. Angel Investors Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

19 Research AcknowledgementsDr. James Heffernan Duke Nicholas School of the Environment Dr. Justin Wright Duke Department of Biology Michael Barnes Duke Greenhouse Manager Certified Arborist, ISA Certified Professional Horticulturist, ASHS Duke Office of Undergraduate Research Services Research Grant Duke Office of Corporate Collaborations William Abbey JPL Planetary Chemistry and Astrobiology Gregory Peters JPL Geophysics and Planetary Geosciences Syar Industries Donated Mars regolith simulant And now for some acknowledgements. I couldn’t have started down this path without the help of Duke University and my advisers at Duke University. The biological research I am conducting under this grant will be peer reviewed and made publicly available and submitted for publication. It is also available through my research Facebook page, Thank you to JPL scientists William Abbey and Gregory Peters for advise and collaboration and SYAR Industries for donating Mars regolith simulant. Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

20 Social Media AcknowledgementsTessa McEvoy, Cartoonist Dr. Robert Zubrin and The Mars Society Abby and Nichole at The Mars Generation Will be posting my research blog geared towards teenagers who wish to enter the space sciences Crowd-funding Friends I’d like to also acknowledge all of the wonderful people I have met through social media, especially Tessa McEvoy, cartoonist at large, Dr. Robert Zubrin whose book inspired me, as I’m sure most in this room, and who personally encouraged me at the Humans to Mars Summit last spring to submit my abstract to give this talk today, and Abby and Nichole at the Mars Generation, where my upcoming research blog geared toward teenagers who wish to enter the space sciences will be posted. I’d also like to thank everyone who helped make up the critical difference in funding my university research. More funds are needed, if anyone would like to donate. Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

21 The Deep Space Ecology TeamScience Staff: Linda Roehrborn – Science Operations Manager Ulyana Horodyskyj - Geologist, Geophysicist, Hydrologist, and Planetologist ; Special Mission Commander for Science Ops Lauren Savage - Geology/Planetology; Engineering Support for Science Ops Daniel Surber - Climatatologist and Meteorologist Pavel Grigorash - Engineering Support for Science Ops Pat Rowe - Science Technician Eric DeBlackmere - Field Test Support for Science Ops Administrative Staff: John Macrino – Business Administration Manager Victoria Varone - Social Media Admin Joshua Fuller - Online Applications Admin Rachel Welch - Website Admin Lauren Savage – Market Services Admin Executive Team Lee Irons – CEO, General Manager, and Chief Engineer Dan Lopez - Executive Advisor Dawn Ferry – Artistic Director Patrick Read Johnson – Production Consultant Engineering Staff: Claude Boullevraye de Passille - Systems Architect and Designer Bryan Versteeg - Modeling and Visualization Design Technician Joshua Fuller - Habitation Systems and Industrial Systems Engineer Hsui Han Wong - Structure, Materials, and Landscape Engineer Chester Wang - Regolith/Soil Remediation and Environmental Processes Engineer Mervyn Larrier - Human Factors and Human Field Gear Engineering Pavel Grigorash - Astronautics and Robotics Engineer Rachel Welch - Astronautics and Robotics Engineering Daniel Surber – Space Systems Engineer; Special Mission Commander for Science Ops Patrick Rowe – Network Systems and Robotics Technician Ally Nolen - Solar Power, 3D Printing, Metal Working, and Finishing Technician and Materials Engineering Victoria Varone - Field Test Support for Engineering Ops Interviewing For: Chief Engineering Officer Chief Architect Engineering Operations Manager Entomologist Lumbricologist Agronomist Horticulturist On the business side, here is our incredible team at Deep Space Ecology that is working on the CES designs. You can read the bios of our team members at our website, . We are still interviewing for various positions. Interested individuals can submit their information to our onboarding team. In closing, I would like to show a video of our future state concept Mars Epoch X3 design, which works on reducing the size of the footprint of the ecological system by moving toward a vertical architecture. Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC

22 Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLCMars Epoch X3 Copyright © 2016 Deep Space Ecology LLC