In a bid to explore the possibility of colonizing Mars, scientists in England have set up the Bio-SPHERE project in a large tunnel system. The project aims to investigate how scientific and medical activities can be carried out under the living conditions on Mars. With several countries planning manned missions to Mars in the coming years, including China in 2033, the need to understand the conditions necessary for astronauts to live on the planet is crucial. The Bio-SPHERE project, located 1.1 kilometers below the earth’s surface in one of the deepest mines in the UK, aims to provide answers to these questions.
The project, which is located in the Boulby Underground Laboratory, was built in 250 million-year-old rock salt deposits made up of Permian evaporite layers of the Zechstein Sea. The geological environment and the depth of 1,100 meters allow for the replication of the working conditions of hell on Mars, including the limited availability of materials, loneliness, and problems with heavy equipment. The ultra-low radiation environment also allows for the investigation of whether underground habitats can protect astronauts from deep space radiation. The first facility of the Bio-SPHERE project is a three-meter-wide simulation module designed to test biomedical procedures that could prevent tissue damage in various materials. These include complex fluids, polymers, and hydrogels for regenerative medicine that could be used in wound dressings or fillers to mitigate damage.
Dr. Alexandra Iordachescu, who leads the project, expressed excitement about the collaboration with the Boulby Underground Laboratory’s fantastic scientific team. She believes that the project’s new capability will help gather information that can advise on life support systems, devices, and biomaterials that could be used in medical emergencies and tissue repairs after damage during deep space missions. The project’s findings will be published in the npj Microgravity journal, providing valuable insights into the possibility of colonizing Mars and the conditions necessary for astronauts to survive on the planet.
