Closed Aquatic Ecosystems in Space: From Fish Life Cycles to Deep Space Habitats
What Are Closed Aquatic Ecosystems and Why They Matter In space research, closed aquatic ecosystems are miniaturized life support systems that include water, plants, algae or fish, all interacting with minimal input from outside. A key recent breakthrough: on China’s space station, scientists achieved a full life cycle of zebrafish—growth, development, reproduction—in just 43 days…