A Primer on Long-Duration Life Support
Summary
The article examines the practicalities of sustaining life on long-duration space missions, focusing on water and air recycling, food storage, waste management, medicine, fire safety, exercise, and stowage. It emphasizes the trade-offs between carrying consumables and recycling, with NASA's target of high closure rates and the complex interdependencies between subsystems. The piece also links to further readings and critiques of historical approaches on the Mir and ISS.