The DRAFT Project is a soil- and regolith-based air filter tackling one of space exploration’s toughest challenges: clean air!
Why an organic filter? Because the microbial life in soil is remarkably good at breaking down VOCs (volatile organic compounds) – contaminants that can accumulate in closed environments such as spacecraft or closed-loop habitats.
In July, 2025, we put DRAFT to the test during an analog mission with Asclepios V in Sasso San Gottardo, Switzerland, led by Spring’s Álvaro Ropero López and Arthur Charmasson.
Over 17 days it ran three filtration media:
a Soil Filter,
a Lunar Regolith Simulant Filter (TUBS-M),
and a Bioremediated Lunar Regolith Simulant Filter.
DRAFT was equipped with dual sensor suites tracking 10 air-quality parameters before and after the filters. Unfortunately, one sensor array was damaged during multiple power outages, but we still managed to gather valuable post-filtration data!
Early readings showed promising reductions in TVOCs (total volatile organic compounds), while unexpected CO₂ spikes revealed how gases can accumulate and re-release within filters. Exposure tests using injected chemicals produced clear signal peaks but also complicated long-term data interpretation.
While we had some setbacks, the mission confirmed the strong potential of biologically inspired filtration in unforgiving space-like conditions! We now have a clear route for improvements to be made for the next iteration, which includes stronger power systems, avoiding unnecessary chemical exposure, and using diagnostic tools such as oscilloscopes.
Stay tuned!