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Determination of sweetener production from sugar beets was carried out in order to accomplish self sufficiency in closed habitation experiments in the Closed Ecology Experiment Facilities (CEEF or the so-called “Mini-Earth”) of the Institute for Environmental Sciences in Rokkasho, Aomori, Japan. The sweetener was made from sugar beets, which were cultivated hydroponically in the CEEF, were grounded and the juice was pressed out. Sensory analysis was conducted to evaluate the acceptability of the sweetener. The seven-day closed habitation experiments in the CEEF were conducted six times and the use of the sweetener was demonstrated.

The system design of the Nitrogen Fixation System (NFS) for CEEF has been carried out. The system is a fertilizer production process for plant cultivation from air and water. Newly developed technologies are adopted as key processes of the system. Use of physico-chemical methods made the total system compact, energy efficient and controllable. The NFS is completely self-confined and generating no unnecessary byproducts. The system has a applicability for future lunar or Mars base CELSS system.

This paper introduces a concept and a design to supply paper products for an earth based Advanced Life Support System (ALSS) test bed and it shows some results of paper production trials on the ALSS using inedible biomass. Rice plants (i.e. straw and roots), and soybean stems were pulped by boiling and/or alkali soaking and a mechanical processing method. Paper could be produced from both and exhibited different characteristics. Paper with quality suitable for hygienic tissue could be obtained and very absorbent paper was also possible. A rapid pulping method without a chemical process was also investigated. A potential for reducing chemical consumption, liquid waste and labor cost of paper production in the ALSS was demonstrated.

Closed habitation experiments are to be carried out using Closed Ecology Experiment Facilities (CEEF) from 2005 to 2009. The last target of duration of closed habitation is four months. Preliminary study and testing have been conducted in order to start the closed habitation experiments. In 2004 as the last year of the preliminary test phase for the 2005–2009 experiments, periodical harvesting from staggered cultivation of 23 crops including rice, soybean, peanut, and sugar beet was continued during 103 days. In order to balance with metabolisms of humans (named as “eco-nauts”) and animals, it is necessary to stabilize production of edible and inedible biomass, CO2 uptake and O2 production of crops. Although biomass production decreased rapidly during first five weeks of the 103-day period, it was relatively stable during last ten weeks. Average major foodstuffs in the harvested edible biomass met the requirement of two Eco-nauts although several minor ingredients were insufficient.

The basal metabolism of the Candidate Animal is mainly on energy metabolism that was estimated for future animal breeding in CEEF as preliminary research. The amounts of gas exchange in the respiration and heat production of the Shiba goat (native Japanese goat) were analyzed to predict energy and material flow of the animal breeding system in the Closed Ecology Experiment Facilities (CEEF). Experimental animals were fed Timothy hay or inedible parts of rice cultivated in CEEF. The feces and urine were collected during the 7-day metabolism measurement period after a 2-week preliminary breeding period. The O2 consumption, CO2 production, and CH4 production were measured by a mass spectrometric respiration gas analysis system on the 7th day of the metabolism measurement period. Heat production was also obtained from these data. O2 consumption, CO2 production and CH4 production were 100.3 - 153.8 L, 127.2 - 174.0 L and 5.7 - 10.8 L per day (at 0°C, 0.101MPa), respectively.