NASA Advances Research to Grow Habitats in Space from Fungi<https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-advances-research-to-grow-habitats-in-space-from-fungi/> JUN 26, 2024 RELEASE 24-089 [cid:image001.png@01DAC7D6.3C3E8530]<https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/niac.webp> Bricks produced using mycelium, yard waste and wood chips as a part of the myco-architecture project. Similar materials could be used to build habitats on the Moon or Mars. Credits: NASA As NASA prepares for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars for the benefit of all, a habitat-growing concept selected Wednesday by the agency could help "grow" homes using fungi for future explorers. A team of researchers at NASA Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley will receive new funding under the NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program to propel their habitat research. The Phase III NIAC award will provide $2 million over two years to continue technology development of the Mycotecture Off Planet project<https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/ames/could-future-homes-on-the-moon-and-mars-be-made-of-fungi/> in preparation for a potential future demonstration mission. The work is led by Lynn Rothschild, a senior research scientist at NASA Ames. "As NASA prepares to explore farther into the cosmos than ever before, it will require new science and technology that doesn't yet exist" said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "NASA's space technology team and the NIAC program unlock visionary ideas - ideas that make the impossible, possible. This new research is a steppingstone to our Artemis campaign as we prepare to go back to the Moon to live, to learn, to invent, to create - then venture to Mars and beyond." Some habitats, such as landers and rovers, will be delivered to planetary surfaces. However, the mycotecture project team is developing technologies that could "grow" habitats on the Moon, Mars, and beyond using fungi and the underground threads that comprise the main part of fungi, known as mycelia. With this development, explorers could travel with a compact habitat built out of lightweight material containing dormant fungi. By adding water, fungi can potentially grow around that framework into a fully functional human habitat, while being safely contained to avoid contaminating the environment. "We are committed to advancing technologies to transport our astronauts, house our explorers, and facilitate valuable research," said Walt Engelund, associate administrator for Programs in the Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "We invest in these technologies throughout their lifecycle, recognizing their potential to help us accomplish our goals - benefiting industry, our agency, and humanity." The mycotecture project could enable a new, multi-use material for in-space construction, reducing mass and saving resources for additional mission priorities. The proof of concept for this technology was demonstrated through earlier NIAC awards<https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/stmd/niac/mycotecture-off-planet-en-route-to-the-moon-and-mars/>. The team created multiple combinations of fungal-based biocomposites, fabricated prototypes, tested materials in a planetary simulator, evaluated enhancements including incorporating radiation protection, and drafted detailed mycelium-based Moon habitat designs. This project also has uses on Earth in addition to applications on other worlds. Mycelia could be used for water filtration and systems that extract minerals from wastewater.
