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The supplementation of bioactive compounds in astronaut’s diets is undeniable, especially in the extreme and inhospitable habitat of future space settlements. This study aims to enhance the Martian and Lunar regolith fertility (testing two commercial simulants) through the provision of organic matter (manure) as established by in situ resource utilization (ISRU) approach. In this perspective, we obtained 8 different substrates after mixing Mojave Mars Simulant (MMS-1) or Lunar Highlands Simulant (LHS-1), with four different rates of manure (0, 10, 30, and 50%, w/w) from monogastric animals. Then, we assessed how these substrates can modulate fresh yield, organic acid, carotenoid content, antioxidant activity, and phenolic profile of lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa L.). Regarding fresh biomass production, MMS-1-amended substrates recorded higher yields than LHS-1-ones; plants grown on a 70:30 MMS-1/manure mixture produced the highest foliar biomass. Moreover, we found an increase in lutein and β-carotene content by + 181 and + 263%, respectively, when applying the highest percentage of manure (50%) compared with pure simulants or less-amended mixtures. The 50:50 MMS-1/manure treatment also contained the highest amounts of individual and total organic acids, especially malate content. The highest antioxidant activity for the ABTS assay was recorded when no manure was added. The highest content of total hydroxycinnamic acids was observed when no manure was added, whereas ferulic acid content (most abundant compound) was the highest in 70:30 simulant/manure treatment, as well as in pure LHS-1 simulant. The flavonoid content was the highest in pure-simulant treatment (for most of the compounds), resulting in the highest total flavonoid and total phenol content. Our findings indicate that the addition of manure at specific rates (30%) may increase the biomass production of lettuce plants cultivated in MMS-1 simulant, while the phytochemical composition is variably affected by manure addition, depending on the stimulant. Therefore, the agronomic practice of manure amendment showed promising results; however, it must be tested with other species or in combination with other factors, such as fertilization rates and biostimulants application, to verify its applicability in space colonies for food production purposes.

To make feasible the crewed missions to the Moon or Mars, space research is focusing on the development of bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS) designed to produce food crops based on in situ resource utilisation (ISRU), allowing to reduce terrestrial input and to recycle organic wastes. In this regard, a major question concerns the suitability of native regoliths for plant growth and how their agronomic performance is affected by additions of organic matter from crew waste. We tested plant growth substrates consisting of MMS-1 (Mars) or LHS-1 (Lunar) simulants mixed with a commercial horse/swine monogastric manure (i.e., an analogue of crew excreta and crop residues) at varying rates (100:0, 90:10, 70:30, 50:50, w/w). Specifically, we measured: (i) lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cultivar ‘Grand Rapids’) growth (at 30 days in open gas exchange climate chamber with no fertilisation), plant physiology, and nutrient uptake; as well as (ii) microbial biomass C and N, enzymatic activity, and nutrient bioavailability in the simulant/manure mixtures after plant growth. We discussed mechanisms of different plant yield, architecture, and physiology as a function of chemical, physico-hydraulic, and biological properties of different substrates. A better agronomic performance, in terms of plant growth and optically measured chlorophyll content, nutrient availability, and enzymatic activity, was provided by substrates containing MMS-1, in comparison to LHS-1-based ones, despite a lower volume of readily available water (likely due to the high-frequency low-volume irrigation strategy applied in our experiment and foreseen in space settings). Other physical and chemical properties, along with a different bioavailability of essential nutrients for plants and rhizosphere biota, alkalinity, and release of promptly bioavailable Na from substrates, were identified as the factors leading to the better ranking of MMS-1 in plant above and below-ground mass and physiology. Pure Mars (MMS-1) and Lunar (LHS-1) simulants were able to sustain plant growth even in absence of fertilisation, but the amendment with the monogastric manure significantly improved above- and below-ground plant biomass; moreover, the maximum lettuce leaf production, across combinations of simulants and amendment rates, was obtained in treatments resulting in a finer root system. Increasing rates of monogastric manure stimulated the growth of microbial biomass and enzymatic activities, such as dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphomonoesterase, which, in turn, fostered nutrient bioavailability. Consequently, nutrient uptake and translocation into lettuce leaves were enhanced with manure supply, with positive outcomes in the nutritional value of edible biomass for space crews. The best crop growth response was achieved with the 70:30 simulant/manure mixture due to good availability of nutrients and water compared to low amendment rates, and better-saturated hydraulic conductivity compared to high organic matter application. A 70:30 simulant/manure mixture is also a more sustainable option than a 50:50 mixture for a BLSS developed on ISRU strategy. Matching crop growth performance and (bio)chemical, mineralogical, and physico-hydraulic characteristics of possible plant growth media for space farming allows a better understanding of the processes and dynamics occurring in the experimental substrate/plant system, potentially suitable for an extra-terrestrial BLSS.

Heavy payloads in future shuttle journeys to Mars present limiting factors, making self-sustenance essential for future colonies. Therefore, in situ resources utilization (ISRU) is the path to successful and feasible space voyages. This research frames the concept of planting leafy vegetables on Mars regolith simulant, ameliorating this substrate’s fertility by the addition of organic residues produced in situ. For this purpose, two butterhead lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. capitata) cultivars (green and red Salanova®) were chosen to be cultivated in four different mixtures of MMS-1 Mojave Mars simulant:compost (0:100, 30:70, 70:30 and 100:0; v:v) in a phytotron open gas exchange growth chamber. The impact of compost rate on both crop performance and the nutritive value of green- and red-pigmented cultivars was assessed. The 30:70 mixture proved to be optimal in terms of crop performance, photosynthetic activity, intrinsic water use efficiency and quality traits of lettuce. In particular, red Salanova® showed the best performance in terms of these quality traits, registering 32% more phenolic content in comparison to 100% simulant. Nonetheless, the 70:30 mixture represents a more realistic scenario when taking into consideration the sustainable use of compost as a limited resource in space farming, while still accepting a slight significant decline in yield and quality in comparison to the 30:70 mixture.