Space Analog for the Moon and Mars

The Space Analog for the Moon & Mars (SAM)^[1] is a hermetically sealed and pressurized terrestrial analog site.^[2][3]This hi-fidelity research vessel is located at the University of Arizona Biosphere 2 research campus at the base of Santa Catalina Mountains near Oracle, Arizona, USA.^[2][3][4] Following two and a half years in construction lead by Director of Research and principal designer Kai Staats,^[2][5][6] in April 2023 SAM joined the list of over a dozen active analog stations^[7][8] that enable human analog missions,^[4][9][10] field tests to “validate architecture concepts, demonstrate technologies” and “test robotics, vehicles, habitats, communication systems, in situ resource utilization (ISRU) and human performance as it relates to human space exploration”.^[11][12] Supported by an international team of specialists with the University of Arizona, NASA, the National Geographic Society, and commercial partners, the core foci of SAM are scientific research objectives related to human space exploration, long-duration other-world habitation, and sustainability of Earth systems and human quality of life.^[2][6][5] In 2025, SAM will participate in The World's Biggest Analog (WBA), “an international collaboration of researchers, scientists, educators and entrepreneurs working to unite the world’s analogs through a unique and historical mission”.^[8]

Background

Kai Staats, Director of Research for SAM at the University of Arizona Biosphere 2,^[2][13] developed the concept of SAM around the 1987 prototype for Biosphere 2, i.e. the Test Module.^[2][14] Design and fund raising was initiated in March 2019 with primary construction conducted from January 2021 through April 2023. Staats and his team of volunteers, staff, and consultants renovated the Test Module and then extended that pressure vessel to include an engineering bay, crew quarters with sleeping accommodations, common area, kitchen, and bath; and fully functional airlock.^[2] SAM’s first crewed missions were in April and May 2023.^[9][10]

Habitat & field environment

Designed to accommodate crews of one to four members, and mission durations from six days to several weeks, SAM’s habitat consists of a functional airlock, crew quarters, engineering bay, greenhouse with hydroponics and small grow beds, and a variable volume pressure regulation chamber (a.k.a. “lung”) to maintain a constant pressure.^[1][2] SAM is equipped with environmental control and life-support systems (ECLSS) aided by real-time air quality monitoring using SIMOC Live.^[15][16] (SIMOC is a scalable, interactive model of an off-world community, hosted by the National Geographic Society and founded on published data derived from life-support and closed ecosystem research at NASA and universities world-wide.^[15][17]) Hydroponics food cultivars provide partial off-set for mechanical carbon dioxide scrubbers.^[6] Fully functional pressurized suits provide for realistic extravehicular activities (EVAs) in a half acre indoor/outdoor Mars yard.^[18][19]

Crewed missions

With the success of the first two 6-day missions, Inclusion I (April 26 – May 2, 2023)^[20][9] and Inclusion II (May 9–15, 2023),^[18][10] SAM proved to be operational with sustained air quality monitoring and pressure regulation, water reuse, and food recycling systems. Highlights of these missions included inclusivity of one blind member in each crew investigating accessibility;^[9][19] installation of 3D printer;^[10] CO₂ studies;^[10] feasibility of vegetarian meals from dehydrated foods;^[19] hydroponics and mushroom growth and harvest; and EVAs using pressurized space suits.^[18][19] Linda Leigh (Biosphere 2 member in the first sealed mission 1991-93), Phil Hawes (chief architect for the Biosphere 2), and Bernd Zabel (construction manager for the Biosphere 2 and member of the second sealed mission in 1994) were present for ingress and egress of these first missions.^[20][9]

Research

Current ongoing research being conducted at SAM at Biosphere 2 includes ecosystem modeling for biological life-support systems^[16] using SIMOC,^[15][17] the design of a solar-powered swing-bed carbon dioxide scrubber,^[21] total water recycling,^[22] food cultivar studies,^[9] haptics and tool use,^[18][10] and pressure regulation systems.^[14] SAM also investigates closed ecological systems (CES) and the transition from physical-chemical to fully-integrated bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS) which will be important to preparing humans for long-duration, other-world habitation.^[5][23]

References

1. Fedie, Jake. "Home". SAM. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
2. "SAM Mars Analog | Biosphere 2". www.b2science.org. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
3. Price, Michael (27 August 2021). "Scaled down, martian model habitat rises again in desert". Science. 373 (6558): 952.
4. Chandler, DL (22 April 2023). "Martian base on Earth set to host first 'astronauts'". New Scientist.
5. Williams, M (27 January 2021). "Space and Sustainability: How the Lessons of Biosphere 2 Inspired SAM²". Universe Today. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
6. Cornelius, Keridwen (4 October 2021). "Biosphere 2: The Once Infamous Live-In Terrarium Is Transforming Climate Research". Scientific American.
7. Heinicke, C; Arnhof (2021). "A review of existing analog habitats and lessons for future lunar and Martian habitats". REACH - Reviews in Human Space Exploration. 21–22 (100038) – via Elsevier Science Direct.
8. "The World's Biggest Analog". Retrieved 24 August 2023.
9. Rodriguez, Paola (3 May 2023). "Four-person crew released from sealed habitat after week long journey". AZPM News. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
10. Simmons, Anne (15 May 2023). "Second crew exits Biosphere 2's Mars simulator". kgun9.com. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
11. NASA, FS-2012-08-028-JSC. "NASAfacts: Analog Missions and Field Tests" (PDF). NASA.
12. NASA (16 May 2019). "About Analog Missions".
13. The Space Show (8 July 2022). "Broadcast 3888 Kai Staats". The Space Show.
14. Velez, GA; Alraeesi, Ahamed; Marlar, James (12–15 July 2021). "Scaled Automated Pressure Regulation System for Analog Moon and Mars Habitat" (PDF). 50th International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES-2021-434) – via TTU DSpace.
15. Fedie, Jake. "Home". SIMOC. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
16. Hawkins, Grant; Melotti, Ezio; Staats, Kai; Meszaros, Atila; Giacomelli, Gene (16–20 July 2023). "Ecosystem Modeling and Validation using Empirical Data from NASA CELSS and Biosphere 2" (PDF). International Conference on Environmental Systems. ICES-2023-211 – via TTU DSpace.
17. "SIMOC". education.nationalgeographic.org. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
18. Spector, Megan (15 May 2023). "Inclusion 2 Mission on Biosphere 2 grounds ends Monday". kvoa.com. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
19. "Blind People in Space". doubletap podcast. 10 July 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
20. Murillo, Lupita (2 May 2023). "Mission accomplished on Biosphere 2 grounds". kvoa.com. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
21. Balimtas, Leyla (2021-06-10). "NASA Selects University Teams to Design Artemis Mission Design Ideas". NASA. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
22. Greythorne, Meridith (16–20 July 2023). "Integrating Real-Time Environmental Data into an Educational Web Interface" (PDF). 52nd International Conference on Environmental Systems. ICES-2023-209 – via TTU DSpace.
23. Gellenbeck, Sean (16–20 July 2023). "Integration and Validation of Mushroom and Algae into an Agent-based Model of a Physico-chemical and Bioregenerative ECLSS" (PDF). 52nd International Conference on Environmental Systems. ICES-2023-274 – via TTU DSpace.