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Robotic Lunar EcopoiesisTest Bed. Phase II
NIAC
Paul Todd, Penelope Boston and David Thomas Presented by Paul Todd
October 11, 2004
Four Levels of Inquiry Concerning Biology and Mars
1. Planetary protection, contamination and quarantine issues (NRC, 1992),
2. The search for life on Mars (Banin, 1989; Banin and Mancinelli, 1995; Ivanov, 1995; Koike et al., 1995; Biemann et al., 1977),
3. Human expeditions to Mars and ecosynthesis (Meyer & McKay, 1984, 1989, 1995)
4. The terraforming of Mars, ecopoiesis(Haynes, 1990; McKay, 1990; Haynes and McKay, 1992; McKay et al., 1991, 1994; Hiscox, 1993, 1995, 1998).
ECOPOIESIS
Term introduced by Haynes and McKayTerraforming = making another planet or object in the solar system like EarthHeating: (1) Greenhouse gases, (2) Mirrors and smoke, (3) EcopoiesisEcopoiesis = emergence of a living, eventually self-sustaining ecosystemPrecedes terraformingRequired step: experimental ecopoiesis
Starting Position: Robotic Lunar Ecopoiesis Test Bed
•Trenched, depressed site
•Sealed in all dimensions
•Inflatable dome solidifies
•Sealed interior controlled to Mars atmosphere
•Organisms & chemicals added to artificial regolith
•Control and data telemetry to earth
Project Architecture: Roadmap
Science base
Laboratory test bed
Basic research
Distributed test beds
Low-gravity venues
Lunar test bed
Mars experiments
ILLUMINATORCOOLING VENTS
SOLAR SPECTRUMILLUMINATOR &
HOUSING
VACUUMGAS LINE
MARS REGOLITHSIMULANT
SUBSURFACEREGOLITH
ACCESS PORTS
REPLACEABLEDESSICANT
PANEL
FREEZER BOX -35O C
FUSED SILICAATMOSPHERE
JAR, 15mb
ENERGYCONCENTRATOR
ATMOSPHEREGAS LINE
RECHARGESTATION
Mars Atmosphere And Regolith Simulator-Modular Test Bed
MARS-MTB
SENSORARRAY
TELEMETRY
GAS BOTTLE(BURIED)
H O ?2
POWER & CONTROL
40cm
100c
m
T = -35OC
T = Tr
T = Ta
T = -133 to +23o C
10m
Robotic Lunar EcopoiesisTest Bed: Phase II Goals
1.Build and demonstrate Laboratory Test Bed. Use preliminary chamber design from Phase I, purchase and assemble components, demonstrate operation.
2. Evaluate pioneer organisms using Laboratory Test Bed. Subject organisms identified in Phase I to various Mars-like ecopoieticconditions, test activity and viability.
3. Develop ecopoiesis research community.Design modular test beds for lab and classroom use. Develop user community.
4. Refine requirements for extraterrestrial test beds. Pursue opportunities within NASA programs such as ISS and RLEP.
Robotic Lunar EcopoiesisTest Bed: Science Advisory Committee
Penelope Boston. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology; Complex Systems Research, Inc.
Lawrence Kuznetz, NASA Space Biomedical Research Institute
Christopher McKay, NASA Ames Research CenterLynn Rothschild, NASA Ames Research CenterAndrew Schuerger, University of FloridaDavid Thomas, Lyon College
Mars’ atmosphere today:Assume that initial engineering efforts will increase atmospheric pressure and maintain the same relative abundances of gases or raise only CO2.
•CO2 95%•N2 2.7%•Ar 1.6%•O2 0.13%•CO 0.07%•H2O 0.03%•Trace amounts of Ne, Kr, Xe, O3•No significant ozone layer•Surface pressure 6-10 mbar
Pat Rawlings
UV
The main challenge for survival on the surface of Mars is the UV radiation between 200 and 300 nm.
Laboratory Chamber and Subsystems Design Drawings
Outer housing controls temperature -130 to +26oC (dry nitrogen cryogenic)Sealed illuminator with housing & cooling ventsLow-pressure “Mars Jar” held at >7 mbar Atmosphere composition analysis and controlRegolith simulantAutomated operation and data loggingAffordable product for research laboratories
ENVIRONMENTALCONTROL UNIT
1.5kW SOLARSPECTRUM
GENERATOR LAPTOP COMPUTER
SPECIMENCHAMBER
FULL SPECTRUMLIGHT DISTRIBUTION
MIRROR
2 STAGE REGULATOR
LIQUID NITROGEN
SIPHON TANK
VACUUMPUMP
LOW PRESSUREGAS RESERVOIR
MARS ATMOSHPEREHIGH PRESSURE
GAS TANK
STAND
MARS GAS SUPPLY/VACUUM SYSTEM
MULTI-PANEWINDOW (UV SAFE)
WITH CURTAIN
MARS ATMOSPHEREGAS LINE IN
VACUUM LINE OUT
INSULATEDDOOR
Laboratory Test Bed Thermal Control
Continuous operation on Mars sol program (-80oC night; +26oC day) consumes >200 gal LN2 /wk. A 500-gal supply
tank was installed behind a locked safety fence. During dawn and evening, set-point is reset every 10 min to
reproduce thermal profile on Mars at low latitude.
Laboratory Test Bed Optical Path
•1000W Xenon arc
•Automated arc striking
•8” x 8” lighted area
•Fused quartz container
•Photosyntheticallyactive radiation (PAR) = 1100 µmoles/m2-s = 237 W/m2 (vs. 242)
•Translates closely to 590 W/m2
Laboratory Test Bed Regolith Temperature Control
•Rise rate (triangles) exceeds requirements
•Cooling rate (squares) exceeds requirements
•Watlow controller programmed to new set point every hour
•Simulates daily temperature profile at low latitude at vernal equinox
•Controlling sensor submerged in regolithsimulant
-160
-140
-120
-100
-80
-60
-40
-20
0
20
40
12:00 AM 4:00 AM 8:00 AM 12:00 PM 4:00 PM 8:00 PM
Time Of Day (hh:mm)
Tem
pera
ture
(C)
Laboratory Test Bed Performance Data
Mars Environmental Conditions (14 day test) 6/1/05 - 6/15/05
-90.00-85.00-80.00-75.00-70.00-65.00-60.00-55.00-50.00-45.00-40.00-35.00-30.00-25.00-20.00-15.00-10.00-5.000.005.00
10.0015.0020.0025.0030.0035.0040.0045.00
DAY 1
Time (hours) 14 days total
Valu
e
REGOLITH RTD (C)
VACUUM (In Hg)
Light (0=off, 10=on)
RTD CHAMBER (C)
Objective 2Evaluate Pioneer Organisms
Selection of organisms based on Phase I resultsPerformance of experiments in test bedPreliminary results
Summary of Requirementsfor Pioneer Martians
AnaerobicUV resistantLow pressureDrought resistantFreeze resistantPhototrophNitrogen fixing
C. McKay, 2004
Physiological traits of engineered martian organisms (“Marsbugs”):
• Reactive oxygen tolerance (superoxides, peroxides, ozone, etc.).
• CO2 tolerance.• Intracellular acidification tolerance.
• Carbonate dissolution.
• Osmotic tolerance and adaptation.
• Ultraviolet radiation resistance and repair.
• “Switchable” genes for nutrient cycling (e.g., N-fixation, denitrification). (Hiscox and Thomas, 1995)
Lava HabitatsLava Habitats
LavatubesLavatubes
BubblesBubbles
SqueezeSqueeze--upsups
PalagonitizationPalagonitization
Dr. Penny BostonDr. Penny Boston
Chroococcidiopsis
• Primitive cyanobacterialgenus.
• Unicellular, multicellular.• Capable of surviving in a
large variety of extreme conditions: aridity, salinity, high and low temperature.
• Sole surviving organism in hostile environments.
• Often endolithic.
High % CO2 tolerance
0
50
100
150
200
0 10 20 30 40 50
Hours
Fv/F
m (%
of s
tarti
ng)
Air20% CO240% CO2100% CO2
CO2 effects on Synechococcus. Synechococcus responds to high CO2 similarly to Anabaena. PS-II activity increases at 20% CO2, but is inhibited at 40-100% CO2. At 100%, the photosystems do not recover after 24 hours in air (n = 4, bars = s.d.). Dr. David Thomas.
Experiments with Microbial Specimens to Date
EXPERIMENT DATE DURATION SPECIMENS 1 May 31 23 hours Dr. Thomas’ 2 June 1 14 days Dr. Thomas’ 3 June 18 8 days Dr. Thomas’ 4 June 23 22 hours Dr. Boston’s 5 June 25 5 weeks Dr. Boston’s Dr. Thomas’
Preliminary Results of Microbial Experiments
14 days at 100mbar, water saturaturationCyanobacteria (5 strains), Atacama desert bacteria (6 isolates)Esterase activity, FDA assay
0.000
0.100
0.200
0.300
0.400
0.500
0.600
Atac
ama 2
002 -
1Roc
k Gar
den -
1Roc
k Gar
den -
2Roc
k Gar
den -
3Roc
k Gar
den -
4
Yung
ay - 2
Anab
aena
Chrooc
occid
iopsis
CCM
EE 1
Plecto
nema U
TEX
48Sy
nech
ococ
cus 7
94Sy
nech
ocys
tis 68
0
Organism
Fluo
resc
ein
prod
uctio
n, m
g/m
L
Control Direct exposure Indirect exposure
Objective 3.Modular Ecopoiesis Test Bed
RECHARGESTATION
Mars Atmosphere And Regolith Simulator-Modular Test Bed
MARS-MTB
•Controlled volume = 80 cc
•Several simulators per recharge station
•Temperature -80 -- +26oC
•SHOT-designed computing hardware and software
•Thermoelectric cascade
•Solar spectrum simulator
•Classrooms and labs
•Funding applied for
Objective 4Extraterrestrial Test Bed Opportunities (Phase III)Partial gravity on Shuttle or ISS? Modified Avian Development Facility and up to 4 low-pressure jars Test pioneer communities in MARS-chamber, 0.38 g
Concept Proposed for RLEP
•Test chamber same as laboratory test bed
•Mars gas pressure reservoir at 10 atmospheres
•Louvres for light and temperature control
T E L E M E T R Y
P O W E R A R R A Y F O R
L O U V R E S
E C O P O IE S I S T E S T
L A N D E R B A S EO N L U N A R S U R F A C E
B E D
T H E R M A L C O N T R O L
L O U V R E S & T E L E M E T R Y
PROGRESS ON MILESTONES
Phase I completed; laboratory test bed design, extremophile selection initiatedPhase I articles for publicationLaboratory test bed completed, operatedModular portable test bed proposedLow-volume lunar test bed proposedScience Advisory Committee met twiceAnnual First report submittedPhase II presentations at conferences
Year 2 TasksPerform 4 additional 5-week biological experimentsCreate community of ecopoiesis and astrobiology simulation scientistsObtain funding for modular test bedsReport biological resultsStay connected to RLEP
Thanks to HIAC and the SHOT EcopoiesisTeam
Paul Todd, Principal InvestigatorPenny Boston, Co-Investigator (lithotrophs)David Thomas, Co-Investigator (cyanobacteria)Nathan Thomas, EE, Project ManagerBill Metz, MET, Mechanical design John Phelps, EETBill Johnson, Software Engineer Darrell Masden, ME, Thermal Engineer Lara Deuser, ChE, Lab ScientistHeidi Platt, ChE