title: Biosphere 2:  a prototype project for a permanent and evolving life system for Mars base.
abstract: As part of the ground-based preparation for creating long-term life systems needed for space habitation and settlement, Space Biospheres Ventures (SBV) is undertaking the Biosphere 2 project near Oracle, Arizona.  Biosphere 2, currently under construction, is scheduled to commence its operations in 1991 with a two-year closure period with a crew of eight people.  Biosphere 2 is a facility which will be essentialy materially-closed to exchange with the outside environment.  It is open to information and energy flow.  Biosphere 2 is designed to achieve a complex life-support system by the integration of seven areas or "biomes"--rainforest, savannah, desert, marsh, ocean, intensive agriculture and human habitat.  Unique bioregenerative technologies, such as soil bed reactors for air purification, aquatic waste processing systems, real-time analytic systems and complex computer monitoring and control systems are being developed for the Biosphere 2 project.  Its operation should afford valuable insight into the functioning of complex life systems necessary for long-term habitation in space.  It will serve as an experimental ground-based prototype and testbed for the stable, permanent life systems needed for human exploration of Mars.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Ecotechnics, London, U.K.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Dempster
mesh_terms: D000389:Air Conditioning / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D001185:Artificial Intelligence; D003199:Computer Systems; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000254:growth & development; D018504:Ecological Systems, Closed; D004780:Environment, Controlled; D004867:Equipment Design; D005160:Facility Design and Construction; D006801:Humans; D008021:Life Support Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018535:Mars; D013026:Space Flight; D018505:Waste Management / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D018508:Water Purification / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods