FEMME: A precursor ecosystem on the Moon

An efficient regenerative life Support system for manned base cannot be conceived without biological processes. Therefore since the 1960's, numerous projects have been initiated to close, as far as possible, the biological loop. Based on the selected concepts (i.e. carbon and/or nitrogen cycles, microbial organisms and/or higher plants) mathematical models have been studied and built. Unfortunately, to our knowledge these robust models do not take into account the effects of the space environment (i.e. reduced gravity, radiation, . . .). In the past, a large number of scientific studies has been performed to understand these effects but only a few of them have tried to quantify them. In this paper we present a very simplified concept of an ecosystem. Its objectives, which are compatible with a non-pressurised mission, are on one hand to quantify microbial kinetics and on the other hand to demonstrate the validity of several technologies and technical concepts.