Prospects for Using Microalgae in Life-Support Systems

Traditionally the microalgae have aroused interest as a regenerative link of a closed biological life support system. Long-duration experiments conducted in the BIOS-3 system at the Institute of Biophysics have shown that the algal culture Chlorella is able not only to provide the man with oxygen and water but also to utilize his liquid and gaseous wastes. Another microalga, Spirulina, has been long used as food for people; it has also shown high regenerative ability in experimental closed systems. The availability of the methods of algal cultivation in closed systems and the modern cultivation devices suggest that the algal regenerative link is quite prepared for space flight experiments.