Besides biomass production, what dual psychological benefit does cultivating spirulina offer the crew?
Answer
A sense of connection to a living, actively growing resource.
Beyond providing necessary nutrition and contributing to life support, the active cultivation of spirulina offers a substantial psychological advantage to astronauts engaged in long-duration missions. Maintaining crew morale is crucial when dealing with monotonous, pre-packaged rations. The process of harvesting, washing, and drying the biomass provides the crew with a tangible, task-oriented routine centered around an actively growing, living resource, which helps foster a sense of connection and engagement necessary for psychological well-being far from Earth.
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Why Do Astronauts Use Spirulina? - YouTube
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