TheSpringInstitute

Publications

For those at the cutting edge of science and technology, progress is measured and shared via peer-reviewed publications. The Spring Institute is committed to making our work accessible to all through open-source and open science publishing options whenever possible. If you are unable to access any of these manuscripts, please send us a note through our contact form and we will be happy to send you a copy.

The SCAMPI Project

Confirming that nitrogen cycling works as expected in micro-gravity by sending a self-sustaining shrimp aquarium to the International Space Station for a period and conducting genetic metabarcoding analyses on the microbial consortium.

  1.  Ben Slimane, T., Torchia, C., Grubbs, P., Galvan Lobo, J., Ropero, A., Alberto Rodriguez, J., Smith, J., Berger, A., & Roche, S. (2023). SCAMPI Project: Design of an Aquatic Closed Ecological System for Microgravity. https://hdl.handle.net/2346/94799
  2. <Genetics results pending upcoming mission>
  3. Grove, P., & Saetta, D. (2025). Shrimply Delicious: A Decision Framework for Space Aquaculture Species Selection. 54th International Conference on Environmental Systems, Prague. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20250004524

Regolith to Soil

Soil is a living matrix that anchors most ecosystems and ecosystem services on Earth. Being able to convert inert lunar dust (regolith) into soil enables a whole host of biological solutions for life support, such as agriculture, air filtration, waste recycling, and more.

  1. Check out the interactive lunar regolith simulant manufacturer map developed by Álvaro Ropero!
  2. Ropero, Á., Guermi, S., & Navarro, G. (2025). Lunar Regolith Simulants for Space Agriculture: State of the Art and Gaps in Research & Industry. https://hdl.handle.net/2346/102713

The Marshian Waste Treatment Wetland

Closing the food and waste loops by recycling sewage back into edible plants via an artificial wetland system.

  1.  Grove, P., & Fleischer, L. (2024). The Marshian: Conceptual Design of an Artificial Wetland for Waste Treatment on the Moon. https://hdl.handle.net/2346/98925
  2. Nasir, Ahsan. (2025). Simulation of hydrodynamics and contaminant transport in artificial wetlands for partial gravity applications. [Master's Thesis, Tallinn University of Technology & University of Liège]. Available here.

PLANT-B CubeSatellite Terrarium

An in-development mission to send a low-technology, self-sustaining terrarium into low-earth orbit to demonstrate the use of the greenhouse effect for growing plants in space.

  1.  Moumtaz, Y., Fleischer, L., Grubbs, P. (2023). Passive thermal control to maintain Earth-like temperatures inside a CubeSat. https://dl.iafastro.directory/event/IAC-2023/paper/77765/

Education & Outreach

Uplifting and inspiring the next generation of space explorers, researchers, and dreamers is a core part of our mission. 

  1. Ngarambe, D., Grubbs, P., Trepos, A., Bourlette, F., Ben Slimane, T., & Fleischer, L. (2023). A Constellation of Dreamers: Advancing Space Exploration through Democratization. https://hdl.handle.net/2346/94803
  2. Mazaré, N., Fleischer, L., Mourey, C., Irababarira, L., Kabagambe, B. (2025). Increasing Space Participation: Reviewing Two Years of Public Engagement within The Spring Institute for Forests on the Moon. https://hdl.handle.net/2346/102810