The key facts

  • Dmitry Bakanov spoke about bioregenerative systems at the Kurchatov Genomic Forum
  • The systems' task is to reproduce the main processes of Earth's biosphere in space
  • One solution is the combined use of photobioreactors and plant-growing installations

What Roscosmos said

The state corporation is working on bioregenerative systems designed to reproduce the main processes of Earth's biosphere in space. Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Bakanov announced this at the Kurchatov Genomic Forum; his words are quoted by Gazeta.Ru, citing RIA Novosti. 'We are developing bioregenerative systems. Their task is to reproduce the main processes of Earth's biosphere in space,' Bakanov clarified.

How it works

One such solution, according to the head of the state corporation, is the combined use of photobioreactors and plant-growing installations. The publication does not reveal technical details: it does not specify on which spacecraft or stations the systems are expected to be used, or what stage their development is at.

Context of other statements

This is not Bakanov's first recent public statement about space plans. In October, he said that Russia and China would create instruments and equipment for a joint mission to study Mars; at the time, he also named Beijing one of Moscow's key partners and noted the exchange of Earth remote sensing data and the joint use of GLONASS and BeiDou navigation signals. Earlier, Roscosmos also disclosed plans to launch spacecraft to the Moon. The new publication does not report any timelines or specific projects related to bioregenerative systems.