ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an overview of some major factors that will be associated with the design of Life support systems for operation in the space environment. Life support systems for manned space missions provide the crewmembers with food, potable water, a habitable atmosphere, and waste management, as well as personal-hygiene facilities. The combination of these physico-chemical techniques can provide for closure of all essential life support requirements, with the exception of food. Considering the relative states of food-production technology, the existing data base is far more extensive for conventional methods than for the relatively undeveloped field of chemical synthesis of protein and carbohydrates for human consumption. The recommended methodology requires the consideration of a sufficient number of alternative scenarios to thoroughly cover the range of possibilities for diets, food sources, waste processing, air and water regeneration, and combinations thereof, in non-terrestrial as well as terrestrial operating environments, and covering partial as well as complete closure.
