TERRA

Understanding Current Life Support Systems: Outdated and Inefficient

The current life support systems used on the International Space Station (ISS) and Tiangong Space Station represent impressive feats of engineering for their time, yet they fall short of the efficiency and sustainability required for humanity’s next frontier.

  • Water Recovery Systems: These systems recover water from humidity, sweat, and urine. However, they are only partially efficient. On the ISS, 50% of the water recovered must be diverted to the Oxygen Generator in order for Oxygen to be generated via electrolysis, reducing the overall water supply for drinking and other uses.

  • Oxygen Generators: Oxygen is produced through electrolysis, splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen. While oxygen sustains life, hydrogen, a valuable resource, is vented into space as waste. This process is energy-intensive, relying on power drawn from the station’s solar panels, thus introduces additional limitations.

  • Waste Utilization: Existing systems fail to capitalize on the full potential of byproducts, such as hydrogen, leaving untapped resources that could contribute to greater efficiency and sustainability.

On Earth, wasting resources like water and oxygen and even food resources is often taken for granted. All three are slowly and systematically destroyed through inefficiency and neglect.

However, in space, whether aboard a spacecraft on a lengthy deep-space mission, or on the Moon, or Mars, this will no longer be an option.

Every drop of water is precious! Every breath of oxygen is life-sustaining! Every morsel of food what our bodies cannot function without! Recognizing this reality, FAST Space Corporation will set a bold new standard in Complete Life Support with the development of TERRA.

Introducing TERRA: A Revolutionary Leap in Life Support Systems

FAST Space Corporation we will develop and perfect these 3 life support systems first before moving onto the “easy” things so to speak!

Starting with the FAST-Water System, followed by the FAST-Air Oxygen System, both linked as a closed loop system to the Fast-food System, and as a 100% efficient functioning system, will make TERRA the most important System in any Spacecraft, Space Station, or Lunar / Mars base, and where TERRA will be the validation of humanity’s dreams about interstellar travel.

Terrestrial Environmental Recovery & Resource Architecture (TERRA) revolutionizes life support technology by replacing inefficiency with complete synergy.

TERRA is named after the Latin word for “Earth,” symbolizing its mission to replicate and sustain Earth-like ecosystems, even in the harshest environments. Unlike outdated systems, TERRA offers:

  • 100% Water Recovery: Recycling and reclaiming all water sources, ensuring nothing is wasted.
  • 100% Oxygen Efficiency: Advanced oxygen generation without venting hydrogen into space.
  • 100% Waste Utilization: Transforming all byproducts, including hydrogen, into critical resources, eliminating waste, and providing nourishment to plant food sources.
  • Integrated Energy Systems: Leveraging advanced plasma technology and innovative energy integration, reducing dependency on solar panel power alone.

TERRA is not an improvement— it’s a complete reimagining of life support. By uniting water recovery, oxygen generation, and waste processing into a single, cohesive system, TERRA ensures the survival and sustainability of humanity wherever we venture. Every drop of water. Every breath of oxygen. Every resource accounted for. This is the future of life support, built for the challenges of tomorrow.|

Designing the TERRA System: The Next-Generation Life Support Revolution

The Terrestrial Environmental Recovery & Resource Architecture (TERRA) system redefines life support for space exploration. TERRA integrates water recovery, oxygen generation, and food production into a unified, highly efficient system powered by advanced plasma technology and compact, high-output power solutions. It ensures not just sustainability but also resilience, providing the essential building blocks for life— water, oxygen, and food— even in the harshest extraterrestrial environments.

This section compares existing systems on the International Space Station (ISS) and Tiangong Space Station to the TERRA system, highlighting its revolutionary advancements. We’ll also explore the role of plasma technology and TERRA’s closed-loop greenhouse design to maximize resource utilization and sustainability.


Understanding Current Systems

  1. Water Recovery Systems
  • ISS and Tiangong: Both stations recover water from urine, sweat, and humidity. However, they do not recover water from feces due to limitations in power and system compactness. Approximately 50% of recovered water on the ISS is diverted for oxygen generation.
  • Limitations:
  • Limited recovery sources (excluding feces).
  • Dependence on the station’s main power source (solar panels).
  1. Oxygen Generation Systems
  • ISS and Tiangong: Oxygen is generated through electrolysis of water, splitting it into oxygen (O2) and hydrogen (H2). Oxygen sustains life, but hydrogen is vented into space, wasting a potentially valuable resource.
  • Limitations:
  • Inefficient resource utilization (hydrogen is discarded).
  • High power demands reliance on solar energy.
  1. Food Production
  • Neither the ISS nor Tiangong systems incorporate food production. Crews rely entirely on pre-packaged food brought from Earth, which adds significant weight and resupply challenges for long missions.

TERRA’s Revolutionary Features

Water Recovery Efficiency

  • TERRA will recover water from all possible sources, including human feces (75% water content), in addition to urine, sweat, and vapor.
  • The remaining 25% solids will be processed into nutrient-rich materials for plant growth. These materials include:
  • Calcium and Iron Phosphates: Essential for plant structure and chlorophyll production.
  • Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium: Enhance soil fertility.
  • Organic Matter: Improves overall soil quality.

Plasma Technology Integration

Plasma technology will be a core component of TERRA, enhancing water recovery, oxygen generation, CO₂ breakdown, and even plant photosynthesis. Key features include:

  • Water Recovery and Purification: Plasma increases the efficiency of water purification by breaking down contaminants and sterilizing water at a molecular level. Reactive species in plasma eliminate impurities more effectively than conventional filtration systems, ensuring safe and clean water for the crew.
  • Sterilization of Oxygen: Plasma generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as ozone and hydroxyl radicals, which break down contaminants and microbes. This ensures consistently high oxygen purity.

Improved CO₂ Breakdown: Plasma excites CO₂

  • molecules, splitting them into carbon monoxide (CO) and atomic oxygen (O). These byproducts can be further processed to produce molecular oxygen (O2), enabling faster and more efficient oxygen generation.

Enhanced Plant Photosynthesis: Plasma excites CO₂

  • and water molecules, facilitating faster absorption by plants during photosynthesis. This process boosts plant growth and oxygen output, ensuring maximum efficiency in closed-loop greenhouses.

Compact and Scalable Systems: Plasma technology allows for the creation of compact, modular systems capable of real-time oxygen purification and CO₂ breakdown, essential for confined environments like spacecraft and habitats.

Summary of Benefits

  • Higher Oxygen Purity: Breaks down contaminants during production and storage.
  • Improved CO₂ Utilization: Accelerates breakdown and conversion into oxygen, supporting human life.
  • Boosted Plant Growth: Enhances photosynthesis rates, ensuring optimal oxygen production and food supply.
  • Compact and Safe: Allows for lightweight, scalable, and reliable systems in space environments.

“Greenhouse” Design for Oxygen and Food Production

Closed-Loop Spherical Greenhouses

  • Design Features:
  • Spherical units for
    optimal space utilization.
  • Modular design allows standalone operation or series integration for scalability.
  • Supports both aquatic and non-aquatic plants, including food crops.
  • Total area: 60 square meters, suitable for spacecraft and planetary bases.
  • Plant Combinations:
  • Fast-growing, high-oxygen producers such as spinach, kale, and wheatgrass.
  • Food-producing plants like tomatoes, potatoes, and soybeans.
  • Algae for oxygen production and CO₂
  • CO₂ Utilization:
  • Recovered CO₂ is redirected to the “greenhouse”, where it fuels photosynthesis to maximize oxygen production.

Nutrient Recovery and Utilization

  • Nutrients extracted from solid waste (e.g., calcium, iron, nitrogen) will support plant growth and enhance soil quality, creating a sustainable cycle.


Energy Solutions: Hydrogen-Plasma Power Packs

  • Compact and High-Output Power Units:
  • Hydrogen-Plasma “Space Power Packs” developed by FAST Space Corporation generate 800 kW of electricity from a unit weighing less than 50 kg (110 lbs.).
  • These power units eliminate reliance on traditional solar panels and provide sufficient energy for all TERRA processes.

Food Production Capability

  • ISS and Tiangong: No food production; 100% reliance on Earth-based re-supply.
  • TERRA: Produces a diverse range of food crops in modular greenhouses, reducing dependency on Earth and increasing mission self-sufficiency.
  • TERRA Advantages:
  • Powered by compact Hydrogen-Plasma Power Units, reduces reliance on solar panels.
  • Significantly lower power consumption per subsystem compared to ISS and Tiangong.
  • Enables food production without adding excessive energy demands.

TERRA Conclusion

The TERRA system is a revolutionary step forward in life support technology, addressing the inefficiencies of current systems on the ISS and Tiangong. By integrating plasma technology, closed-loop greenhouses, and advanced power solutions, TERRA ensures 100% resource recovery and utilization, providing water, oxygen, and food for 15 crew members with unparalleled efficiency. This is not just an improvement— it is the future of life support systems, designed for humanity’s journey to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Understanding Plasma and CO₂ Breakdown

How Plasma Breaks Down CO₂

Plasma, called the fourth state of matter, contains a mixture of highly energized particles such as ions, electrons, and neutral atoms. This energy-rich environment makes plasma highly effective in breaking down CO₂ molecules into simpler components. Here is the process:

  1. Molecular Activation:
  • The high-energy electrons in plasma collide with CO₂ molecules, transferring energy to the molecules and breaking their chemical bonds.
  • This initial reaction splits CO₂ into carbon monoxide (CO) and atomic oxygen (O).
  1. Further Reactions:
  • The atomic oxygen can then combine with other oxygen atoms to form molecular oxygen (O), completing the breakdown into breathable oxygen.
  1. Enhanced Reaction Rates:
  • Plasma increases reaction rates by providing a continuous stream of high-energy particles, making the breakdown process faster and more efficient than traditional chemical or thermal methods.


Plasma’s Additional Benefits for TERRA

Compact Design: Plasma CO₂

  1. breakdown systems are lighter and more space-efficient, making them ideal for confined environments.

Integration with Algae Systems: Plasma boosts algae growth by accelerating CO₂

  1. conversion and oxygen production.
  1. Seamless Scalability: Plasma technology adapts to different scales, from compact spacecraft systems to expansive planetary bases.

Graph: Plasma vs Traditional CO₂ Breakdown Efficiency

The following graph compares the efficiency and energy consumption of plasma-assisted systems against traditional methods:

Plasma Conclusion

Plasma technology revolutionizes the way CO₂ is processed in space habitats, offering unparalleled efficiency, reduced energy consumption, and seamless integration into the TERRA system. Its application not only ensures sustainability but also enhances resource recovery, making it a cornerstone of future space exploration missions.