Potential for Microbial Habitability on Mars: In Situ Resource Utilization Technologies for Human Missions to Mars
A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Microbiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 350
Special Issue Editor
Interests: astrobiology; mars; habitability; anaerobes; martian life
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Space exploration missions to Mars, such as the Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity rover), have confirmed the past presence of water, as well as habitable conditions, on Mars. At the same time, the methane plumes on this red planet identified by several authors (e.g., Formisano, MSL—Curiosity mission) have led to questions about the potential for life to exist on Mars. The presence of methane represents an open and unsolved question. Methane gas on the Martian surface has a shorter lifetime; therefore, its presence must be sustained by the regular production of methane by a source. Could this source be of biological origin? This is a key time to debate whether there is really potential for humans to exist on Mars. From a metabolic point of view, anaerobic microorganisms open up the possibility of an ecological niche on Mars’ subsurface. There is also an interesting ongoing scientific debate on the possibility of manned Mars exploration to look for biosignatures in situ. The crew of manned missions would rely on new technology to provide resources that could not be transported from Earth. In situ resource utilization (ISRU) needs to be developed and tested for future missions to Mars. Due to the distance from Earth and the high economic cost of sending food and other supplies from Earth, human planetary exploration depends on self-sufficiency and independence from Earth. New supporting microbial-based technologies must be developed for oxygen, energy, and food production for astronauts.
Through this Special Issue exploring potential microorganisms on Mars, we will foster debate around the real possibilities of a metabolic niche on Mars and ISRU developments for space exploration. Articles describing experiments using simulation chambers and Earth analogues and the development of new ISRU technologies, as well as discussions of Martian habitability, are welcome.
Dr. Felipe Gómez
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- astrobiology
- mars
- habitability
- anaerobes
- martian Life
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