Publisher's Synopsis
Life on Earth has evolved within the protective blanket of our atmosphere closely coupled with its environment. With space technology, the range of human action has extended into regions which are vast and hostile to any life form. To live in this environment of space, man or any other biological system requires a protective shelter equipped with an efficient life support system. The thirty papers contained in this volume present the advancements made in establishing regenerative life support systems. In the meeting on "Recycling and Control in Regenerative Life Support, the issues associated with biological and physical responses to the space environment were addressed as well as approaches to the control and stablilization of hybrid systems. "Higher Plant Growth" focussed on production of food, water and oxygen from potentially useful crop species grown under controlled environment conditions. The need for establishing artificial biosystems and the problems that will arise were discussed during "Impact of Human Expeditions to Mars". It is anticipated that there will be a better understanding of the dynamic processes regulating our own terrestrial ecosystem.
