Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - BIOWYSE (Biocontamination Integrated cOntrol of Wet sYstems for Space Exploration)

Teaser

The BIOWYSE project is focusing on water loops and humid areas on board ISS and future human exploration missions. Microbiological contamination can be attenuated and controlled, never eliminated. As demonstrated in several years of ground studies and actual space operations...

Summary

The BIOWYSE project is focusing on water loops and humid areas on board ISS and future human exploration missions. Microbiological contamination can be attenuated and controlled, never eliminated. As demonstrated in several years of ground studies and actual space operations, humid areas and wet systems are the most prone to biocontamination. Space exploration requires the development of more reliable, rapid, signif-icant and safe methods for preventing, monitoring and controlling biocontamination within human confined environments. These methods have to be automated, simple, lightweight and with minimal consumables.

Both space and terrestrial monitoring and prevention/mitigation methods are currently working separately, rather than in synergy. The BIOWYSE project foresees development and demonstration of an integrated biocontamination control system for water and humid areas, for space exploration habitat management within infrastructures, experimental payloads, cargo and crew transportation elements, to be demonstrated on the ISS.

The main goal of the BIOWYSE project is:
Development and demonstration of compact, integrated solution (hardware & software) and operational method for preventing, monitoring and mitigating the microbial contamination risk in water systems and humid surfaces on-board ISS and in future human space exploration missions.

To achieve its main goal and to validate key technologies for the biocontamination control integrated system under representative conditions, the BIOWYSE project pursues the following major objectives that are presented in chronological order according to the project schedule:
Objective 1: Exploiting ISS data on biocontamination of wet systems and materials, from recent and past projects, for a complete and exhaustive biocontamination control systems requirement definition and conceptual design.
Objective 2: Designing and developing functioning compact biocontamination prevention, monitoring and mitigation Modules, advancing their TRL.
Objective 3: Building an integrated modular System, enabling biocontamination control of potable water systems (fully automated) and humid areas (semi-automated) in space and in the field.
Objective 4: Demonstrating performances, operational techniques and processes in laboratory and field environments, and designing a Flight Demonstrator for on-board validation of critical technologies.
Objective 5: Actively leveraging synergies between space and non-space partners, and exploiting the biocontamination control developments in actual space programs and terrestrial applications.

Work performed

WP1 – Project Management
This work package is one of the continuous work packages of the project. The work performed during this reporting period included the monitoring of the projects, communication with REA, coordination with consortium partners regarding deliverables and programmatic issues, ensuring effective communication between partners and organisation of meetings (agenda, minutes etc).
The work was carried out by ESF on this work package.
WP2 – System conceptual Design
This was the most active work package during this period. Work carried out included:

1. Consolidation of the review of currently used methods (State of Art, SoA) from both space and terrestrial applications for the proposed system modules: prevention, monitoring, removal and control of biocontamination in water and humid areas. This has resulted in deliverable D2.2 ‘System Baseline Definition Document’.

2. Definition of system requirements based on the detailed application needs and expected performances for the breadboard system and the flight demo (partially for the Flight Demo, work is ongoing).

3. Conceptual design of the overall system, which resulted on deliverable D2.4, System Conceptual Design Document.

WP6 – Flight Demo Design
Work done in this work package included the definition of Flight Demo requirements, during the System requirements review process. The work is not complete and it is expected to continue as the system is being further elaborated.

WP7 – Space and Terrestrial exploitation
Work done in this work package included a preliminary assessment of
• Identification of space platforms and programs for BIOWYSE system application
• Identify the state of the art in terrestrial water/surfaces management techniques (prevention, monitoring, removal and control) for biological contamination
• Position the BIOWYSE system within the terrestrial water management landscape and identify opportunities for a space spin-off of the BIOWYSE system
Although no dedicated deliverable was produced (deferred for the future according to the schedule), the work was included in D2.2. and D2.4.

WP9 – Communication and Dissemination
The visual identity of the project has been established via its logos and website. A video was also created to showcase the concept and act as promotion material, to be updated as the system is better defined in the future.

Final results

BIOWYSE will push the development of an integrated biocontamination control module by advancing technologies and testing operations procedures. Performing these tests and validations in an integrated system also in available fields offers unique capabilities for extensive validation. In particular, BIOWYSE advances with respect to the state-of-the-art are summarised thusly:

Prevention State of the Art:
- Consumable biocide agents in water loops
- HEPA filters in air loops
- Materials selection
BIOWYSE Beyond SoA:
- Innovative surface treatment,
- reducing need for disinfection
- avoiding on-board chemicals use

Sampling and analysis system SoA
- Manual sampling, samples transport and/or storage
- Lab analyses by culture-based methods
BIOWYSE SoA:
- Sampling and analysis in real-time and automated.
- No samples storage, no water need for wetting surfaces or extracting bacteria from swabs.

Water treatment and disinfection system/solution SoA
- Disinfection by chemicals (chlorination, solvent application) and physical treatments (e.g. water filtration, UV)
- Disposable filters
BIOWYSE beyond SoA:
- Low power consumption disinfection
- No chemicals

Surface disinfection system/solution SoA
- Disinfection by cleaning with chemical agents
BIOWYSE Beyond SoA
- Low power consumption disinfection
- No chemicals

Integrated on-line monitoring and control system SoA
- Off-line monitoring does not allow feedback on control effort
BIOWYSE beyond SoA:
- Sampling and analysis in real-time
- Automation allows trend-analysis to feed innovative control effort optimization

Website & more info

More info: http://www.biowyse.eu.