Appendix B. Renewal of Life on Mars Algae Cultivation for Long-term Food and Oxygen Production

Here we are proposing a renewal of our current grant entitled Life on Mars: Algae cultivation for long-term food and oxygen production. Long-term human exploration of Mars will require significant amounts of both oxygen and food, and the ability to grow photosynthetic organisms on Mars would contribute significantly to both of these needs. Algae, which produce much of the oxygen on Earth, have also adapted to extreme terrestrial environments. Some species of algae are also edible, and are increasingly utilized as food sources. Growth of such extremophilic and edible algae species, therefore, has the potential to provide both oxygen and nutrients for long-term Mars exploration.

As stated in the call for the original funding, “Low pressure is being sought to reduce mass and volume of structures that would enclose the plant growth area and potentially enable use of transparent materials to utilize ambient light”. However, other than our ongoing work, no prior studies have examined snow algae growth under low atmospheric pressure conditions relevant to growth on Mars. Our promising initial results show growth of algae under low pressure conditions (80 ± 5 mbar). Despite these promising results, however, significant questions remain. These include the lower limits of atmospheric pressure under which algae growth will occur, the impact of lowered light levels such as are expected on Mars, as well as the impact of Mars regolith.

We therefore propose a renewal to test additional relevant conditions. We will use a proposed new low pressure chamber to test algae growth at lower pressures of 30 mbar and 17 mbar. We will also examine light conditions relevant to Mars, which include a 50% decrease in light levels corresponding to levels on Mars, as well as introducing dark periods relevant to dust storms on Mars. We anticipate that snow algae, in particular, may be resilient to both lowered light levels, as well as periods of time with no light due to their life cycle, which includes a period of time in the soil beneath the snowpack. We will also test the impact of nutrient supply from Mars regolith on algae growth. We will both grow the algae in medium generated by reacting Mars regolith simulants with liquid water to determine whether adequate nutrients can be supplied, as well as testing the levels at which regolith become toxic by directly inoculating cultures with Mars regolith simulant. Our preliminary experiments show some successful growth on the Mars regolith simulant, but more work is needed to assess the constraints of using Mars regolith as a nutrient source. For each growth condition, we will measure cell counts, optical density by UV-VIS, and oxygen production using GC-MS. Finally, we will identify the genetic basis of adaptations in the algae species by differential gene expression studies.

We propose that our current team will continue working on this project, including UNLV postdoc Dr. Leena Cycil, Science PI Dr. Elisabeth Hausrath, NASA Scientist Dr. Doug Ming, who has extensive experience in Life Support, and consultant Dr. James Raymond, who is a snow algae expert. The proposed work has been discussed with Dr. Warren Ruemmele, and will fill important knowledge gaps in the production of oxygen and nutrients on Mars. The proposed work pursuing in situ production of oxygen and food on Mars would be an important step forward in the exciting field of human exploration of Mars.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.