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Revision as of 00:28, 26 September 2012
Synthetic Biology for Space Exploration
Sending things into space is expensive! It costs about $10,000 to send one pound (think a football) into orbit. Think about how much it would cost to send out all the machinery needed to survive in space! Bacteria are very light, and thus comparatively cheap to take out of orbit. Synthetic biology has an enormous potential to bring down the cost of space travel and sustain longer and larger missions. Cells are small, self-replicating, and can use a host of biological functions to produce any range of organic products (food, fuel, glue). With synthetic biology as a tool, space travel may become easier! Last year’s iGEM team applied the tools of synthetic biology to the key issues with human settlement on the moon or on Mars: energy production, carbon recycling, and shelter-building. This year, we hope to expand upon the work of the 2011 team with three follow-up projects:
Hell Cell
Surviving in the harsh conditions of space is not easy for an organism. Extreme temperatures, desiccation, and pressures are only some of the problems an intrepid bacterium might face on its journey. We hope to equip our organisms with the ability to live and thrive in space, and maybe even Venus!
Life in the Clouds
The surface of Venus is harsh and unforgiving. However, research suggests that there may be layers of its atmosphere that are more temperate. We aim to see whether or not it is possible for bacteria to survive and replicate in an aerosolized environment, and then put our Hell Cell to the test!
Biomining
If we are to colonize space, we are going to need rare metals for materials. But bringing the heavy duty equipment for traditional mining is not very viable at all! Bacteria and other biological organisms can be used to extract rare metals from sediment. Bacteria could mine asteroids and do all the work for us!
