Robotic Lunar Ecopoiesis Test Bed: Bringing the Experimental Method to Terraforming

Details Robotic Lunar Ecopoiesis Test Bed: Bringing the Experimental Method to Terraforming Robotic Lunar Ecopoiesis Test Bed: Bringing the Experimental Method to Terraforming

Feb 2004

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2004aipc..699..975b&link_type=abstract

SPACE TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS INTERNAT.FORUM-STAIF 2004: Conf.on Thermophys.in Microgravity; Commercial/Civil Next Gen.Space

Computer Science

Robotics

Spaceborne And Space Research Instruments, Apparatus, And Components, Moon, Robotics

Scientific paper

The notion of ecologically terraforming another planet (aka ecopoiesis) has been discussed by a number of scholars. Some theoretical treatments of various aspects of ecopoiesis have appeared in the literature. However, experimental terraforming studies have been rare to non-existent. This is not surprising because of the planetary scale and long durations typically discussed. We describe a concept to perform basic ecopoietic experiments in a test facility constructed on the lunar surface. Such a facility can provide long-term observation of organisms and their ecological, physiological, and evolutionary interactions in a low gravity environment. Salient features of other extraterrestrial environments (e.g. the 0.38g Mars gravity) can be simulated more easily in the lunar milieu than on Earth while providing much greater access for experimenters than ecopoiesis experiments on Mars itself. Besides application of these proposed studies to possible future terraforming efforts, basic evolutionary and ecological processes could be studied under extreme selection pressures including fractional gravity, high radiation, and with a variety of atmospheres, soils, and other parameters. Novel, genetically engineered and selectively bred organisms could be tested in such a facility without concern for accidental release into Earth's environment.

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