Plasma Based Sustainability Architecture for Space Habitation

Increasing independence from Earth is essential for sustained life off-planet. New technologies are constantly being developed to further drive innovation. As commercial and public interest has grown in the space sector, technological improvements have shone a spotlight towards the field of plasma science. Although they have been studied for two centuries, plasma physics and plasma chemistry have advanced significantly in the last two decades. Recent years have advanced electrical power supplies and diagnostic equipment to a point where plasma is able to provide complex processing with little to no consumables beyond electrical power. This work presents a perspectives discussion to provide an overview of the applications and versatility of plasma systems. Plasma for space applications is under investigation for VOCs (toxic gas) abatement and air revitalization, sanitizing produce and equipment, generating acid in water for hydroponics or urine pretreatment processes, and handling solid waste streams via gasification processes. The development and infusion of plasma-based architecture would allow plasma to act as an excellent addition to many applications in support of life support systems, a perfect side dish for many meals