Behind the Paper

What will it take to explore the moon?

Deep space exploration is ultimately a logistics problem with humans in the loop. How will we solve these problems to enable humans to go and explore our solar system? The answer goes back to Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, the father of Rocketry and Bioastronautics who envisioned deep space ecosystems.

Published in Astronomy, Earth & Environment, and Agricultural & Food Science

Go to the profile of D. Marshall Porterfield
D. Marshall Porterfield
Professor, Purdue University
What will it take to explore the moon?
Like

Share this post

Choose a social network to share with, or copy the URL to share elsewhere

Share with...

...or copy the link

This is a representation of how your post may appear on social media. The actual post will vary between social networks

Explore the Research

Nature
Nature Nature

Critical investments in bioregenerative life support systems for bioastronautics and sustainable lunar exploration - npj Microgravity

npj Microgravity - Critical investments in bioregenerative life support systems for bioastronautics and sustainable lunar exploration

Logistics costs, technology limits, and human health and safety risks are the trinity that constrain human space exploration operations using current physical/chemical methods for environmental life support to maintain human presence and habitation.  NASA and the CNSA have both released plans for lunar human exploration. This paper reviews those plans through the lens of strategic capability development. It examines the history of NASA’s development of bioregenerative space habitation systems and shows how past research and policy decisions, including funding cuts and program discontinuations, have led to critical gaps in current NASA capabilities. These gaps pose a strategic risk to US leadership in human space exploration that must be addressed urgently to sustain international competitiveness. It concludes with recommendations for program investments crucial for the deployment of mature bioregenerative technologies in the coming decade.

Go to the profile of D. Marshall Porterfield
D. Marshall Porterfield
Professor, Purdue University

Please sign in or register for FREE

If you are a registered user on Research Communities by Springer Nature, please sign in

Sign In Register

Follow the Topic

Space Exploration and Astronautics
Physical Sciences > Physics and Astronomy > Astronomy, Cosmology and Space Sciences > Space Exploration and Astronautics
Aerospace Technology and Astronautics
Technology and Engineering > Mechanical Engineering > Vehicle Engineering > Aerospace Technology and Astronautics
Law of the Sea, Air and Outer Space
Humanities and Social Sciences > Law > Public International Law > Law of the Sea, Air and Outer Space
Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology
Physical Sciences > Earth and Environmental Sciences > Environmental Sciences > Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology
Housing and Built Environments
Physical Sciences > Earth and Environmental Sciences > Geography > Human Geography > Urban Geography and Urbanism > Housing and Built Environments
Agricultural Biotechnology
Life Sciences > Biological Sciences > Agriculture > Agricultural Biotechnology

Related Collections

With Collections, you can get published faster and increase your visibility.

Space Biomanufacturing

This Collection features articles on advances in applying biological organisms, processes, devices or technologies to synthesize useful products that will support activities in space.

Publishing Model: Open Access

Deadline: Mar 15, 2026

Explore this Collection

Recommended Content

Cookies

We use cookies to ensure the functionality of our website, to personalize content and advertising, to provide social media features, and to analyze our traffic. If you allow us to do so, we also inform our social media, advertising and analysis partners about your use of our website. You can decide for yourself which categories you want to deny or allow. Please note that based on your settings not all functionalities of the site are available.

Further information can be found in our privacy policy.

Cookie Control

Customise your preferences for any tracking technology

The following allows you to customize your consent preferences for any tracking technology used to help us achieve the features and activities described below. To learn more about how these trackers help us and how they work, refer to the cookie policy. You may review and change your preferences at any time.

See the full cookie policy See the full privacy policy
More information

These trackers are used for activities that are strictly necessary to operate or deliver the service you requested from us and, therefore, do not require you to consent.

More information

These trackers help us to deliver personalized marketing content and to operate, serve and track ads.

More information

These trackers help us to deliver personalized marketing content to you based on your behaviour and to operate, serve and track social advertising.

More information

These trackers help us to measure traffic and analyze your behaviour with the goal of improving our service.

More information

These trackers help us to provide a personalized user experience by improving the quality of your preference management options, and by enabling the interaction with external networks and platforms.