Microbial Ecosystems as Enablers of Sustainable Lunar Agriculture: A Prelude to Project Moon Hut’s 4Phases

The sustainable habitation of the Moon presents one of the most formidable challenges in space exploration, demanding innovations that go beyond engineering and into the realm of biology. This review explores the potential of microbial ecosystems, specifically nitrogen-fixing Sinorhizobium meliloti to address key sustainability challenges in extraterrestrial agriculture. Focusing on nutrient cycling, soil formation, and plant-microbe symbiosis, the paper critically evaluates recent experimental studies, including simulated regolith trials, spaceflight experiments, and microbial consortia integration. Emphasis is placed on the microbial mechanisms essential for nitrogen fixation, resilience to lunar-like stressors, and the capacity of genetically tailored strains to perform in reduced gravity and chemically hostile regolith. The review also identifies critical research gaps, from microbial viability in partial gravity to the long-term integration of microbial consortia in closed-loop life support systems. By positioning this research within the broader context of Project Moon Hut’s 4Phases initiative, the paper lays the groundwork for scalable biological infrastructure capable of supporting human life beyond Earth. This synthesis serves as both a scientific roadmap and a call to action for interdisciplinary efforts in microbial space biology, regenerative agriculture, and sustainable lunar development.