PIONEERING A CIRCULAR FUTURE
Europe’s Leading Program in Circular, Regenerative Life-Support Systems
For more than three decades, the European Space Agency (ESA) has been pioneering regenerative life-support technologies. At the heart of this effort is MELiSSA — the Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative — Europe’s leading program for developing circular, closed-loop systems that can sustain human life in space.
MELiSSA was created to push the boundaries of autonomy in long-duration missions: transforming waste into vital resources such as food, water, and oxygen. The initiative traces its roots back to 1987, following an early experimental flight aboard the Chinese Long March rocket. The conceptual framework was completed and published in 1988, and formal program activities began the following year.
2022 MELiSSA Conference
Discovering innovative and unique projects that are part of the circular economy, this is the promise made to you by the organizing committee of this conference that will take place on 8-9-10 November 2022!
Come and meet the different actors of the MELiSSA Project. Immerse yourself in the world of space.
Take advantage of this incredible opportunity to interact with celebrities in the sector!
The MELiSSA Foundation is a non-profit organization established by the MELiSSA partners to support, finance, and coordinate MELiSSA PhD and PostDoc programs.
The Foundation also leads the project’s communication and educational initiatives, ensuring a unified voice and fostering the next generation of experts in regenerative life-support systems.
The current Board of Directors consists of Lucie Poulet, Scientific Director, and Rob Suters, Executive Director.
Research & development
Preliminary Flight experiments
GROUND DEMONSTRATION
TERRESTRIAL APPLICATIONS
EDUCATION & COMMUNICATION
MELiSSA PUBLICATIONS
BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES
MELiSSA PARTNERS
Around 50 organisations (e.g. universities, research centers, space industries, terrestrial companies) are involved in the project. 15 partners have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. MELiSSA is internationally recognized as the most advanced effort to develop closed loop life support systems. Today, the MELiSSA partners are from Belgium, Spain, France, Switzerland, Italy, The Netherlands and Canada.
