Biofuel Cells in Space Technologies: Review with Initial Experimental Results

For the past 25 years, humans have been continuously living and working in space aboard the International Space Station, providing unique opportunities to study microbial adaptation in extraterrestrial environments. Research on bacteria and fungi in space and other extreme environments on Earth has demonstrated their ability to change and adapt compared to “normal” conditions. With upcoming crewed missions to the Moon and Mars within the next decade, integrating microbiological research into mission planning, design, and decision-making will be crucial for the success of long-duration exploration. One area of growing interest is microbial production of energy. Over the past decade, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have emerged as a promising, sustainable method of energy generation to meet increasing human energy demands on Earth. Extending these approaches to space exploration offers the potential to provide renewable power for spacecraft, mission control systems, and life support infrastructure, ultimately contributing to the sustainability and resilience of future missions beyond Earth. This review examines the state of microbial fuel cell research for space applications, focusing on their operation under microgravity and radiation, their integration into life support and mission planning, and their potential to generate energy from wastewater. It also highlights current strategies to optimize and scale these systems for future long-duration missions.The review concludes with a preliminary concept and experimental results from the authors' research on a kombucha-based biofuel cell.