A deep underground lab could hold key to habitability on Mars

Date:
May 23, 2023
Source:
University of Birmingham
Summary:
Tunnels deep underground in North Yorkshire are providing a unique
opportunity to study how humans might be able to live and operate
on the Moon or on Mars.


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FULL STORY ========================================================================== Tunnels deep underground in North Yorkshire are providing a unique
opportunity to study how humans might be able to live and operate on
the Moon or on Mars.

Researchers at the University of Birmingham have launched the Bio-SPHERE project in a unique research facility located 1.1 km below the surface,
in one of the deepest mine sites in the UK. The project investigates how scientific and medical operations would take place in the challenging environments of the Moon and Mars.

It is the first of a series of new laboratory facilities planned to study
how humans might work -- and stay healthy -- during long space missions,
a key requirement for ensuring mission continuity on other planets.

The team is working in partnership with the Boulby Underground Laboratory,
a 4,000m3 deep underground facility focused on particle physics, Earth
sciences and astrobiology research, run by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (part of UK Research and Innovation) with the support
of the Boulby Mine operators, ICL-UK.

The Bio-SPHERE project is based in a 3,000m3 tunnel network adjacent
to the Boulby Laboratory, which go through 250-million-year-old rock
salt deposits, consisting of Permian evaporite layers left over from
the Zechstein Sea. This geological environment, together with the deep subsurface location, have enabled researchers to recreate the operational conditions humans would experience working in similar caverns on the Moon
and Mars. This includes remoteness, limited access to new materials and challenges in moving heavy equipment around.

At the same time, thanks to the ultra-low radiation environment provided
by that depth, the location will enable scientists to investigate how
effective underground habitats might be in protecting space crews from deep-space radiation, which is a significant risk in space exploration,
as well as other hazards, such as falling debris from meteorites, which
risks damaging the life- support infrastructure.

The first facility to be opened as part of Bio-SPHERE (Biomedical
Sub-surface Pod for Habitability and Extreme-environments Research
in Expeditions), is based in a 3-metre-wide simulation module and is
designed specifically to test biomedical procedures needed to prepare
materials for treating tissue damage.

These include complex fluids, polymers and hydrogels for regenerative
medicine that could be used, for example, in wound dressings, or fillers
for damage mitigation.

A paper describing the concept and design of such a habitat was recently published in Nature (NPJ) Microgravity.

Bio-SPHERE, which includes a range of capabilities for sterile work and material processing, combines these simulation facilities and useful
geological environment with access to the adjacent physics and chemistry laboratory facilities.

This environment provides the opportunity to simulate various mission
scenarios and to conduct cutting edge, interdisciplinary science, ranging
from the effects of extreme environments on biological and physicochemical parameters and on medical infrastructure, all the way to investigating
how available 'in- situ' resources such as ambient pressure, temperature
and geology can be used for habitat construction.

Lead researcher Dr Alexandra Iordachescu, in the University of
Birmingham's School of Chemical Engineering, said: "We are excited to
be partnering with the fantastic science team at the Boulby Underground Laboratory. This new capability will help to gather information that
can advise on the life support systems, devices and biomaterials which
could be used in medical emergencies and tissue repair following damage
in deep-space missions.

"These types of metrics can guide system design and help to assess
the scientific needs and acceptable timeframes in bioengineering
operations under the constraints of isolated environments, such as space habitats. The data is likely to bring numerous benefits for Earth-based applications as well, such as delivering biomedical interventions
in remote areas or in hazardous environments and more generally,
understanding biomedical workflows in these non-ideal environments."
Professor Sean Paling, Director and Senior Scientist at the Boulby
Underground laboratory said: "We are very pleased to be working with
Dr Iordachescu and the team from the University of Birmingham on this
exciting work. The challenges ahead for humankind in exploring habitats
beyond Earth are clearly many and significant. The Bio-SPHERE project
promises to help answer some key logistical questions in establishing sustainable living conditions in remote, subterranean environments and
in doing so will significantly contribute to the essential preparations
for our collective long, difficult and exciting journey ahead. It is
also a great example of the diverse range of science studies that can
be carried out in a deep underground science facility, and we are very
happy to be hosting it."
* RELATED_TOPICS
o Space_&_Time
# Space_Missions # Space_Exploration # NASA # Space_Probes
# Moon # Astronomy # Solar_System # Space_Station
* RELATED_TERMS
o Phobos_(moon) o Mars_Exploration_Rover o Titan_(moon)
o Mars o Deimos_(moon) o Apollo_11 o Lunar_space_elevator
o Phoenix_(spacecraft)

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Birmingham. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Alexandra Iordachescu, Neil Eisenstein, Gareth Appleby-Thomas. Space
habitats for bioengineering and surgical repair: addressing the
requirement for reconstructive and research tissues during
deep-space missions. npj Microgravity, 2023; 9 (1) DOI:
10.1038/s41526-023-00266-3 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230523123840.htm

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