Biosphere 2

Biosphere 2, launched in 1984, was spearheaded by systems ecologist John P. Allen and funded by philanthropist Ed Bass, who invested $150 million. 

Kai Staats, Director of Research for SAM at the University of Arizona Biosphere 2, developed the concept of SAM around the 1987 prototype for Biosphere 2, i.e. the Test Module

Allen’s ideas stemmed from the "Spaceship Earth" concept by Buckminster Fuller and aimed to create a self-sustaining ecosystem as a model for potential space habitats. The construction, managed by Space Biosphere Ventures, began in 1987. 

The first closed mission of Biosphere 2 with a crew of eight who farmed most of their food, maintained the biomes, and faced physical and psychological challenges, including low oxygen, hunger, and factional conflicts. The crew’s metabolism adapted to a low-calorie diet, and health indicators improved. Issues like rapid nutrient cycles, invasive species, and CO₂ buildup were managed but highlighted the difficulties in creating a fully closed system. 

The mission provided critical insights into human adaptation, ecological management, and self-sustaining environments.

The second mission, faced internal strife and management turnover. Shortly after the mission began, financier Ed Bass replaced the management team, sparking disputes that led to the premature end of the mission in September 1994. The facility was later restructured for open-system research under Columbia University. Legal issues ensued, including a lawsuit alleging managerial abuses, resulting in a $600,000 ruling in favor of the former crew members. Afterward, the original closed-system scientific goals of Biosphere 2 were largely abandoned.