Subterranean environments on Earth serve as an analog for the study of microbes on other planets, which has become an active area of research. Although it might sound contradictory that photosynthetic cyanobacteria thrive in extreme low light environments, they are frequent inhabitants of caves on Earth.
Throughout the phylum these cyanobacteria have developed unique adaptations that cannot only be used for biotechnological processes but also have implications for astrobiology. This article will highlight the potential benefits of cave-inhabiting cyanobacteria and will present a suitable bioreactor technique for the utilization of these special microbes during future space missions.
For human colonies to be installed on currently unhabitable planets preparation of the area of interest is crucial Levchenko et al. Creating such an enclosed space where humans can operate under preferred conditions -also known as the biosphere- is likely not achievable on large scales, but will need to be achieved gradually.
As an initial step, this includes a breathable atmosphere with a constant supply of oxygen, a moderate temperature range and protection from cosmic rays. At a later stage, resources are needed for the construction, maintenance of the colonies and food production.
All of this must include a sustainable, circular low-waste concept, most preferably based on resources from the planet of interest Ceylan, ; Santo, In the past, the concept of natural caves has been used as a test scenario for colonizing extra-terrestrial environments Walden et al.
