NASA's astrobiologists develop algae for human space exploration
The transformation of Earth’s initial rocky and desolate form has come a long way. Its changes are not as much of a mystery thanks to NASA’s astrobiological studies in microbial life to better understand the Earth’s present diverse and life-sustaining state. NASA’s focus on photosynthetic algae is largely geared towards benefits for future human space exploration. One of those benefits includes long-term space flights, which is where the study of photosynthesis in space comes along. It can consume carbon dioxide exhaled by astronauts, produce oxygen and recycle nitrogen-filled wastes.
Space science research has many applications directly related to the development of ‘green tech’ and what links all this research together is microbial ecology. The study of microbes in a given environment allows scientists to observe their nature and interactions with each other, which is largely applicable to how algae can process in space.
The emphasis on algae as an additional or even alternate means for space exploration is indeed a ‘green’ tactic. Algae offers special advantages as a photosynthetic plant for human gas exchange and for some portion of food requirement. In addition to sustainability, algae has proven to be a popular alternative for biofuel production.
The Algae for Exploration group (ALEX) has found that non-traditional species of algae can produce the lipids needed to produce low-cost fuels. However, the country obviously has enormous energy-consumption demands and there are obstacles in producing algae on a commercial scale. Algae would have to be grown and harvested in rapid and constant succession to produce biofuel and among the key challenges are lack of automation and reduction of labor costs. The algae itself can also harvest so much energy at any given time; this would mean constant usage of the natural resource.
The development of algae as a resource is also hardly economically viable. In order to cultivate the microorganisms of algae, ALEX scientists collaborated with the Solar Energy and Biofuels Laboratory at the University of Texas, Austin to create the Surface Attached Bio-Reactor (SABR). Although this particular bio-reactor can cultivate algal cells with 20 times less water than conventional systems and grow microbes for biofuel and food, the cost for mass production would be considerably high. A plentiful array of these structures (including greenhouses and other production equipment) would be needed as algae is less efficient than solar plants.
The maintenance of algae includes large water consumption. Exactly how much? Definitely a lot. The water has to be supplemented and cleaned regularly. It’s not so much the amount of fuel production that needs to be considered, but how much water you need to produce it, and the amount of fossil energy needed is excessive.
In terms of output, the photosynthetic efficiency of algae is considerably high; however the energy efficiency is very low compared to solar energy. Then why choose algae? It takes extensive effort to produce solar panels, while algae can be grown in a pond. Evidently, energy is needed to turn the algae into fuel, but there is no other source of energy input other than CO2 and sunshine. Some companies still prefer open ponds, but the main problem is contamination by other kinds of organisms which can interfere with the energy producing algae.
Producing this particular green resource could be useful and sustainable if the energy consumption wasn’t so over the top. Many technical problems still need to be solved as the standards for algal energy are extremely high and expensive. Microbial ecological research has an undoubtedly strong impact on the green initiative, but there are still limits. Fixing our fuel needs should be accomplished in tandem with fixing our energy consumption. Until then, while NASA's advances hold promise for better air to breathe in space, algae developments have many obstacles to overcome before our earthly air becomes healthier to breathe.
