CAJ:The Lifeboat Space Mission

The project of a space habitat as a backup plan for human civilization is still at a very early stage. This, however does not mean that there is not much done in this field at the moment. On the contrary as the Lifeboat Foundation is currently working on rendering space flights beyond the atmosphere cheaper and come up with non-rocket methods for reaching the orbit. The most prominent name within the Lifeboat Space habitat mission is ‘Ark1’.

‘Ark 1’ is a self-sustaining space habitat, which should be made capable of ensuring the survival of humanity in the event Earth becomes uninhabitable. The artificial ecosystem should also include plants and animals and will resort to resources from the moon and asteroids since acess to the Earth, which will not be existent by this moment in time will no longer be an option. The living quarters of Ark I will be a set of two spinning wheels accumulating gravity. As an energy source, nuclear fission reactors and solar panels will power the habitat. Ark I will be a test in terms of a self-efficient environment as well as new ways of managing and obtaining resources and finally for astronautic hygiene and space medicine.

The flow of resources will be especially challenging when it comes to creating a space habitat. At the moment various technologies are being pursued to reuse and recycle resources in space. Reuse of water is already achieved aboard the ISS. The most promising model of a perpetuous artificial ecosystem is ‘closing the loop’ to minimize the need for new resources. Generating a flow of resources, which does not rely on the blue planet is crucial when it comes to providing a self-efficient space colony.

An equally important matter regards sustainable health care in space. As experience has shown  radiation, gravity and sanitation prove to be the most difficult problems to be tackled in space. Reating and preventing health problems in space is essential. In absence of the Earth magnetic field, which works as a natural protection against radiation, solutions to protect against dangerous radiation, including the sun rays have to be found