Extraterrestrial Aquaculture: Its Conceptual Foundations and Scope

Abstract

Extraterrestrial aquaculture (“space aquaculture”) is increasingly discussed as a distinct interdisciplinary research field at the intersection of aquatic biology, astrobiology, space systems engineering, and related space life and environmental sciences. This review focuses on how aquatic organisms and closed-loop aquatic systems respond to space-relevant constraints, particularly microgravity and cosmic radiation, within confined and resource limited operational settings. By synthesizing the available literature, including technical reports from space agencies and data from orbital missions, together with evidence from ground based simulation studies, the article consolidates the conceptual foundations that motivate extraterrestrial aquaculture as a coherent field of inquiry. It also identifies evidence informed gaps in current research and outlines recommendations for future work, emphasizing candidate species selection and the definition of high-impact study areas relevant to sustaining life support functions in extraterrestrial habitats.