Design and Optimization of a Biomanufacturing-Driven Reference Mission Architecture for the Human Exploration of Mars

Despite a myriad of national space agencies, industrial partners, university laboratories, and policy groups preparing for human exploration of the Martian surface, there remains a need for a single reference mission architecture (RMA) that models and captures the vast design parameter space, and hence the complexities, of a Mars human exploration operation. The available literature often focuses on shorter-term, opposition-class exploration missions of approximately 30 days of surface operations, instead of the more probable, longer-term, conjunction-class exploration missions of approximately 500 days of surface operations. A critical aspect of these longer duration missions is determining the food, medicine, and materials that are necessary to support a crew over the specified lengthy time-period. In the following dissertation I demonstrate the progress towards the development of a biomanufactory-driven RMA. A crewed mission to and from Mars may include an exciting array of enabling biotechnologies that leverage inherent mass, power, and volume advantages over traditional abiotic approaches. I begin this dissertation by articulating the scientific and engineering goals and constraints, along with example systems, that guide the design of a surface biomanufactory. Extending past arguments for exploiting stand-alone elements of biology, I argue for an integrated biomanufacturing plant replete with modules for microbial in situ resource utilization, production, and recycling of food, pharmaceuticals, and biomaterials required for sustaining future intrepid astronauts. Here I also discuss aspirational technology trends in each of these target areas in the context of human and robotic exploration missions. I then formalize the mathematical framework for modeling a biomanufacturing system developing the resources for sustaining a human exploration mission on the surface of Mars by establishing mission goals, extending the Equivalent System Mass framework for comparision of missions, develop the framework for modeling a Martian resource inventory in terms of supplies both produced via ISRU processes and transported as cargo from Earth, and develop the framework required for sustaining a human crew in terms of essential resources. Using this collection of frameworks, I develop a software framework to implement and integrate process models that can be experimentally validated by the collaborations of the Center for the Utilization for Biological Engineering in Space, beginning with the crop cultivation models for food consumption and pharmaceutical development for astronauts. Finally, I presents an argument for how Space Bioprocess Engineering drives sustainability on- and off-World. Although raison d'etre of Space Bioprocess Engineering is the design, realization, and management of biologically-driven technologies for supporting offworld human exploration, it has the potential to offer transformative solutions to the global community in pursuit of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Here we address the growing sentiment that investment in spacefaring enterprises should be redirected towards sustainability programs. In outlining the Earth-benefits of dual-use Space Bioprocess Engineering technologies, we both show that continued investment is justified and offer insight into specific R&D strategies.

Advisor: Arkin, Adam P.