3D printable bioreactor designs to support space nutrition

3D printable bioreactor designs to support space nutrition
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 11, 2024

NASA's Synthetic Biology Project is collaborating with the GrabCAD community to create innovative 3D-printable bioreactor designs. These bioreactors aim to reduce the mass and volume of supplies needed for extended space missions by enabling in-situ production of essential nutrients through reusable or recyclable solutions.

The project focuses on enhancing BioNutrient Production Packs, which use bio-engineered microorganisms to generate critical nutrients like beta carotene. Crews activate these microorganisms by adding water and growth media to dormant cultures. The existing bioreactors include early polycarbonate Gen-0 models and lightweight Gen-1 soft packs. Both designs allow gas exchange to prevent over-pressurization while ensuring safe nutrient production.

NASA seeks to address key challenges for long-duration missions, including designing bioreactors that are either reusable or recyclable and can be manufactured aboard spacecraft. The bioreactor must safely handle liquid cultures, support gas exchange, and be compatible with additive manufacturing technologies. Reusability designs must consider sterilization challenges, while recyclable designs should use materials that can be reprocessed into new bioreactors.

High-level requirements for the bioreactor include:

- Supporting liquid culture volumes up to 100 mL.

- Ensuring gas exchange without liquid leakage.

- Using food-safe materials that tolerate a wide pH range (4-8) and temperatures (+4C to +82C).

- Allowing safe introduction and removal of materials via ports compatible with standard luer lock components.

The ideal design will reduce logistical burdens and enable cost-effective nutrient production in space. NASA's prior BioNutrients experiments on the ISS have highlighted the potential of microbial systems to address nutrient degradation in stored food. BioNutrients-1 (launched in 2019) and BioNutrients-2 (2022) tested hard-cased and lightweight soft-pack designs, respectively, for yeast-based nutrient production. These experiments underscore the importance of reliable, resource-efficient bioreactors for future space exploration.

Participants in this challenge are encouraged to think creatively and leverage the benefits of additive manufacturing to develop innovative designs. Solutions may resemble the durable Gen-0 model or take entirely new forms to meet the unique demands of microgravity and resource-constrained environments.

For more details, visit here for details on participating.