Effects of Simulated Microgravity on Growth and Metabolism of the Green Alga, Chlorella Pyrenoiosa

The Long-duration future habitation of space will require a controlled ecological life support system (CELSS) to simultaneously revitalize atmosphere (liberate oxygen and fix carbon dioxide), purify water (via transpiration), and generate food. The environmental conditions available in the Hydrodynamic Focusing Bioreactor (HFB) provide a novel environment due to the reduction of stress from gravity that influences the growth and protein production of Chlorella pyrenoidosa. Chlorella grown in the HFB conditions exhibited a 3 fold increase in protein production and a 3.5 fold increase in chlorophyll content while averaging a doubling time of 1.47 days.