Grown, not launched
Heavy structural mass is built on site from regolith and water instead of lifted from Earth.
The principle
Melanin turns radiation into a resource.
Melanized fungi were found thriving inside the Chernobyl reactor, growing toward radiation sources. Later work showed that melanin in the cell wall converts gamma radiation into usable chemical energy, much as photosynthesis converts light.
That single property is why a living material can be a shield: the more radiation it absorbs, the more it is doing what it evolved to do.
Mechanism
From radiation to chemical energy
The process
From flat-packed kit to finished shell.
Four steps, almost all of the mass supplied by the destination itself.
01
Ship flat
A seeded scaffold travels as a compact, lightweight kit.
02
Add water and regolith
Local regolith and water become the growth substrate.
03
Grow the shell
Mycelium binds regolith into a rigid composite shell.
04
Shield and recycle
Melanin converts radiation; the network filters water and waste.
The structure
Anatomy of a grown shield.
A cross-section of a habitat wrapped in MycoShell, showing where radiation is absorbed, where the structure comes from and what the crew experiences.
Cross-section
Radiation in, lower dose out
>99%proton reduction at 3 in. of NASA-tested myco-composite
2.4%attenuation by a layer under 2 mm thick, on the ISS
~1 mprojected thickness for Earth-normal Mars surface dose
Design principles
Six ideas behind the material.
One strain, three jobs
Shielding, structure and water and waste filtration come from one organism, so there is one materials-biology programme instead of three high-risk biologics.
Ships flat
A lightweight seeded scaffold travels as a compact kit and expands as it grows.
Local substrate
Lunar or Martian regolith becomes the growth medium that the mycelium binds into a rigid composite.
Radiotrophic by design
The strain is selected and engineered for melanin-driven radiation tolerance and conversion.
Staged proof
Coupon, then subscale, then full-scale testing, on the ground and in orbit, before any crewed commitment.
On site
Mars supplies the regolith and the water. We bring the spores and the know-how.
~1 mmodelled thickness for Earth-normal Mars surface dose
Maturity
Technology readiness.
NASA's nine-level scale, with our programmes marked. MycoShell has component-level lab and flight data; the radioprotective probiotic is at strain-design stage.
TRL
Where each programme stands
Probiotic1Basic principles
2Concept formulated
3Proof of concept
MycoShell4Lab validation
5Relevant environment
6Prototype demo
7Operational demo
8System qualified
9Flight proven
How we develop
Ground, analog, orbit, partners.
Step 1
Ground testing
Five-year accelerated storage, simulated cosmic radiation and simulated microgravity.
Step 2
Isolated-crew studies
Trials in analog settings such as Antarctic winter stations.
Step 3
Flight testing
Passive payloads on space stations, with samples returned for analysis.
Step 4
Partnerships
Space agencies, research institutes and commercial station operators.
Questions
Frequently asked.
What is a radiotrophic fungus?
A fungus whose melanin-rich cell walls absorb ionizing radiation and convert part of its energy into a form the cell can use. Species of this kind have been found inside the Chernobyl reactor and tested aboard the ISS.
Is MycoShell ready to fly?
No. It is at TRL 4: component-level lab and flight data exist and system integration is underway. Our roadmap runs from coupon tests, through an ISS demonstration, to a station-module pilot.
Will it grow the same way in microgravity?
That is one of our named risks. Growth rate and strength may differ across gravity regimes, so we test on the ground and in parabolic flight across gravity regimes before any crewed-habitat commitment.
Where does the material come from?
Mostly from the destination: local regolith and water form the substrate, while a lightweight seeded scaffold ships flat from Earth.
Is there a use on Earth?
Yes. Grown mycelium composites are an emerging sustainable construction material, and we plan to out-license the composite to terrestrial builders, independent of any space contract.
Let's build the next shield together.
Space agencies, station builders, research institutes and sustainable-construction partners: we would like to hear from you.