REVIEW article
Front. Physiol.
Sec. Environmental, Aviation and Space Physiology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphys.2025.1621099
This article is part of the Research TopicInnovations in Tools and Methods for Life Sciences Research in SpaceView all 3 articles
Insects in Bioregenerative Life Support Systems: Unlocking their role in space sustainability
Provisionally accepted
- 1Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
- 2University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark
- 3University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom
- 4University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
- 5International University of Applied Sciences Bad Honnef, Bad Honnef, Germany
- 6University of Teramo, Teramo, Abruzzo, Italy
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Long-duration space missions and planetary colonization efforts will depend on Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSS) for sustainable food production, water recycling, and waste management. However, most BLSS research to date has focused almost exclusively on plants, with limited attention to animals and species-level ecological interactions. Here, we review 280 BLSS-focused studies and identify significant underrepresentation of insects and invertebrates, despite their multifunctional potential for nutrient recycling, protein production, and ecological resilience. Only 13 studies experimentally included insects, and these are rarely explored in interactions with other species in the system. Insects such as Acheta domesticus, Tenebrio molitor and Bombyx mori show promise but remain underexamined under space-relevant conditions. Comparisons with terrestrial circular food systems reveal parallel knowledge gaps but also highlight emerging evidence supporting invertebrates as integral components. We argue that closing these gaps will require targeted research on insect physiology and species interactions under space-like stressors such as microgravity and radiation. Drawing on insights from Earth-based circular food systems can accelerate the integration of multifunctional insect species into closed-loop space habitats. Addressing these gaps is essential to create robust, resilient bioregenerative systems that can support human life beyond Earth.
Keywords: Bioregenerative life support systems, Edible insects, Space food production, nutrient cycling, Circular systems
Received: 30 Apr 2025; Accepted: 28 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Berggren, Jensen, Copplestone, Guidetti, Heer and Pittia. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Åsa Berggren, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
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