Trebouxmars

Some lichens can survive extremely challenging conditions, including  exposure to the space environment. The same is true for the microalgae they contain, which can be extracted and encouraged to grow independently, in a liquid or solid medium. It’s possible, therefore, that they could survive and thrive under Mars conditions and be used to produce resources to support a human presence.

Many species of microalgae found in lichens belong to the Trebouxiaceae family. The 'Trebouxiaceae as novel candidates to survive in Mars: assessment of their resistance and ability to produce biomass, and derived interest compounds at small-medium scale using in situ resources' activity examined the ability of these lichens to survive and produce biomass on Mars.

The idea idea was submitted through ESA's Open Space Innovation Platform, seeking out promising new ideas for space research, and was funded by the Discovery element of ESA's Basic Activities.