ESTEE continues its participation in Phase A of the BELISSIMA Project, a European Space Agency (ESA) initiative aiming at studying the behavior, fate, and effect of microcompounds in the MELiSSA (Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative) loop. The project is carried out in collaboration with the Flemish Institute for Scientific Research (VITO), Ghent University, and the University of Lausanne.
Phase A of the BELISSIMA Project is a preparatory phase for the upcoming Phase B, the research part of the BELISSIMA Project. After completion of Work Package 1, the definition and prioritization of research topics, and Work Package 2, the identification and engagement of stakeholders, the final work package of Phase A is currently defining the roadmap and frame of work for Phase B.
Knowledge from the BELISSIMA project on the MELiSSA loop is essential not only for space exploration, but also for its applications to terrestrial systems, e.g., those involving treatment of waste, resource recovery, decentralized water treatment, and food production.