Extraterrestrial Caves: Science, Habitat, & Resources (A NIAC Phase I Study) Complex Systems Research, Inc., Boulder, CO - NIAC CP 99-03, Phase I - # 07600-045 Scientific Exploration and Human Utilization of Subsurface Extraterrestrial Environments: A Feasibility Assessment of Strategies, Technologies and Test Beds Participants: P.J. Boston, PI - CSR, Inc. & Univ. New Mexico S.M. Welch - CSR, Inc. S.L. Thompson - Lawrence Livermore Nat. Lab. J. Werker - Sandia National Laboratories R.D. Frederick - Oregon Public Education Network V. Hildreth-Werker - Southwest Composites, Inc. B. Sprungman - Space Data Resources Info, Inc. Additional art courtesy of S. Wojtowicz - www.slawcio.com Additional art courtesy of C. Emmart Additional photographs courtesy of K. Ingham SEM images courtesy of M. Spilde Lead Institution: Complex Systems Research, Inc. P.O. Box 11320 Boulder, CO 80301 Voice: +1 303 530 2661; FAX: +1 303 581 9820 - i - TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE I: INNOVATIONS UNIQUE TO THIS NIAC STUDY........................................................................................................................... 1 I. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................ 2 A. WHY CAVES? ............................................................................................................. 2 1. Science ................................................................................................................... 3 2. Habitat .................................................................................................................... 4 3. Resources ................................................................................................................ 5 B. WHAT KINDS OF CAVES? ............................................................................................. 6 1. Cave types possible on Mars.................................................................................. 6 2. Comparison to Earth caves.................................................................................... 8 3. Science vs. Habitat caves..................................................................................... 11 C. WHERE ARE THE CAVES?.......................................................................................... 12 1. Cave prospecting.................................................................................................. 12 2. Earth test-bed caves............................................................................................. 14 3. Planetary protection issues in caves..................................................................... 14 II. SCIENCE........................................................................................................... 17 A. COMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE ........................................................................ 17 1. Wireless Networking Technology Survey.............................................................. 19 2. Near-term “Up and Coming” Wireless Networking Standard, 802.11a.............. 19 B. ROBOTIC SCIENCE .................................................................................................... 20 1. Mineralogy, Chemistry, and Physical Parameters.............................................. 21 2. Paleontology ........................................................................................................ 21 3. Biology ................................................................................................................. 22 4. Other sciences...................................................................................................... 23 C. HUMAN-CONDUCTED SCIENCE.................................................................................. 23 D. TECHNIQUES ............................................................................................................ 24 1. Drilling................................................................................................................. 24 2. Nanosensors......................................................................................................... 25 3. Lab-in-a-box fantasy............................................................................................ 25 E. HUMAN MOBILITY .................................................................................................... 26 III. HABITAT......................................................................................................... 28 A. INFLATABLE CAVE LINERS........................................................................................ 28 1. Concept overview................................................................................................. 28 2. Materials ............................................................................................................... 30 3. Airlocks................................................................................................................ 33 - ii - C. CREATED METABOLICALLY INERT AND OTHER BUFFER GAS ATMOSPHERES .............. 35 D. POWER AND PHOTON SOLUTIONS .............................................................................. 37 1. Areothermal power? ............................................................................................ 38 2. Wind power .......................................................................................................... 38 3. Solar technologies................................................................................................ 39 4. Light-piping and light-mining.............................................................................. 41 E. PLANT TECHNOLOGY................................................................................................ 43 2. Cold tolerant plants............................................................................................. 44 3. Low pressure plants............................................................................................. 45 4. Ultraviolet photosynthesis ................................................................................... 45 5. A better Rubisco................................................................................................... 45 F. MICROBIAL TECHNOLOGY ........................................................................................ 46 1. Biosensing, bioproductive, and microbially-inhibiting materials ........................ 46 2. Bioluminescent light and oxygen generation........................................................ 47 G. HOMOSYMBIONTS .................................................................................................... 48 IV. RESOURCES ................................................................................................ 48 A. VOLATILES ............................................................................................................... 48 1. Ice lenses.............................................................................................................. 48 2. Other volatiles...................................................................................................... 48 B. SOLID MATERIALS .................................................................................................... 48 C. MICROMINING.......................................................................................................... 49 1. Biomining.............................................................................................................. 50 2. Bioinjection.......................................................................................................... 51 3. Nanoinjection....................................................................................................... 52 V. EARTH ANALOGS .................................................................................... 53 A. HABITAT CAVE SIMULATIONS................................................................................... 53 1. HM Cave, Arizona................................................................................................ 53 2. Lavatube, New Mexico or Oregon....................................................................... 54 B. SCIENCE CAVE SIMULATIONS.................................................................................... 54 1. La Cueva de las Barrancas, NM........................................................................... 54 2. Planetary protection protocol implementations .................................................. 57 C. PROOF-OF-CONCEPT TRIALS ..................................................................................... 57 1. Inflatable and airlock demonstration................................................................... 57 3. Bioluminescent/oxygen generation microbial demonstration ............................. 58 4. Inert breathing mixture trials............................................................................... 58 5. Human residence trial.......................................................................................... 59 VI. CONCLUSIONS.......................................................................................... 60 REFERENCES CITED..................................................................................... 61 - iii - APPENDIX A – SUMMARY OF NIAC PHASE I ACTIVITIES ........................................................................................................... 67 APPENDIX B – SIGNIFICANT