CREATING A CIRCULAR FUTURE
THE EUROPEAN PROJECT
OF CIRCULAR LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS
For more than 30 years, The European Space Agency (i.e. ESA) is active in the field of regenerative life support systems. MELiSSA (Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative) is the European project of circular life support systems. It was established to gain knowledge on regenerative systems, aiming to the highest degree of autonomy and consequently to produce food, water and oxygen from mission wastes. The MELiSSA project has been initiated in 1987 after a preliminary flight on board Chinese rocket Longue Marche. In October 1988, the concept was elaborated and published. The contractual activities started in 1989.
MELiSSA Events
Explore the state-of-the-art in groundbreaking projects advancing circularity at the MELiSSA Conference, taking place on October 7-8-9, 2025, in Granada, Spain.
2022 MELiSSA Conference (7th Edition) - CURRENT AND FUTURE WAYS TO CLOSED LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS
BARCELONA 2021 - The Astronaut Pedro Duque has visited today the MELiSSA Pilot Plant in the Engineering School of UAB together with representatives of ESA, UAB and the MELiSSA Consortium.
Actualities
POMP 4 - Submissions are now open! The POMP program is set up to attract students belonging to the faculties of Sciences, Engineering, and Agronomy (Bioengineering).
2022 MELiSSA Conference
Discovering innovative and unique projects that are part of the circular economy, this is the promise made to you by the organizing committee of this conference that will take place on 8-9-10 November 2022!
Come and meet the different actors of the MELiSSA Project. Immerse yourself in the world of space.
Take advantage of this incredible opportunity to interact with celebrities in the sector!
MELiSSA Foundation is a non-profit organisation created by the MELiSSA partners to finance and harmonise MELiSSA PhDs and PostDocs.
The MELiSSA Foundation is hosting as well all communications and education issues of the MELiSSA Project.
Research & development
Preliminary Flight experiments
GROUND DEMONSTRATION
TERRESTRIAL APPLICATIONS
EDUCATION & COMMUNICATION
MELiSSA PUBLICATIONS
BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES
MELiSSA PARTNERS
Around 50 organisations (e.g. universities, research centers, space industries, terrestrial companies) are involved in the project. 15 partners have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. MELiSSA is internationally recognized as the most advanced effort to develop closed loop life support systems. Today, the MELiSSA partners are from Belgium, Spain, France, Switzerland, Italy, The Netherlands and Canada.
