444 pages, 1996, Microcosm/Kluwer
ISBN 978-1881883043

Life Support and Biospherics provides information on all aspects of life support systems. The contents are structured to answer the basic questions concerning life support systems of any scale -- from small microbial systems to the Earth's biosphere:

• Why life support system development?
• How does our natural life support system, the biosphere, work?
• What are the environmental conditions for life support systems (radiation etc.)?
• What are the fundamental terms and requirements of life support?
• Which physico-chemical life support subsystems do currently exist?
• Which are the potential bioregenerative life support technologies of the future?
• What are the experiences of the largest artificial life support system to date:Biosphere 2?
• What about life support in future planetary bases on the Moon and Mars ?
• What are the potential benefits of life support development?

Life Support and Biospherics can be used as a source of information by those involved in the life support system design process, or anyone who is interested in the preservation of planet Earth and the future exploration of our extraterrestrial environment.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Rationale
2. Biosphere 1 -- Life Support System of the Earth
3. The Extraterrestrial Environment
4. Fundamentals of Life Support Systems
5. Physico-Chemical Life Support Subsystems
6. Bioregenerative Life Support Concepts
7. Biosphere 2 -- Lessons Learned for Future CELSS Research
8. Potential Terrestrial Applications Derived From the Development of Life Support Systems