An integral part to the sustaining of life within the biodome
is the recycling of gases. An Earth-like
atmosphere would be ideal for the biodome because of the presence of human,
plant, and possible animal-life. Earth’s atmosphere is comprised of about 80%
nitrogen and 20% oxygen, and this would be ideal for our purposes considering
that even in the International Space Station, the air has this same composition.
Assuming that our biodome has a balance of plant-life and
animal/human life, carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by animals and
humans can be separated by the plant life into breathable oxygen gas (O2)
and Carbon that the plant uses. In a case of an emergency, oxygen can actually
be collected from the atmosphere of Ganymede, which does have some oxygen within
it. As long as there is an oxygen surplus created by the plants, we could also
collect and store the oxygen created by them in case of emergency or departure
from the moon.
Colonel J. Randolph
