This Synthetic Biology feature combines two favorite topics: Space & Supplements. Specifically, how humans can deliberately adapt to space environments. Two significant challenges are the physical demands on human biology, and also how terraforming or optimization could be achieved on Mars and other planets.
Let’s begin with the space resilience serums, “Phoenix Sip” and “Space Nap.” They’re inspired by and synthetically derived from Tardigrada the tough “slow stepper” and the intrepid NASA hitchhiking microbe Tersicoccus Phoenicis, its beads or berry shapes evoking the ‘fruits of the spirit.’
Like many space innovations, these synth bio solutions are also longevity recipes of tremendous potential health benefit. That is, in addition to the obvious mission enabling astronaut exploration initiated aerospace companies and space programs across the world.
To boost human resiliency and adaptation for deep space, the serum would need some important primary components. Examples include protecting DNA and initiating dormancy.
To create a Space Resilience Serum for general protection, without of course of turning into a dormant “tun” like the Tardigrade, the focus is on Active Resilience — strengthening the cells while they’re running or going into power saving mode, rather than completely shutting them down.
“Phoenix Sip” Sample Serum Architecture
| Component | Biological Origin | Active Space Benefit | Human Compatibility |
| Optimized Dsup | Tardigrade | DNA Protection: Blocks 40%+ of radiation damage. | High (via transient mRNA delivery). |
| Trehalose | Multiple (Plants/Fungi) | Protein Stability: Prevents “misfolding” in zero-G. | Excellent (already a food additive). |
| PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline quinone) | Bacteria (like Tersicoccus) | Mitochondrial Boost: Keeps energy levels high. | High (found in human breast milk). |
| NAD+ Boosters | Synthetic / Endogenous | DNA Repair: Fuels the “Sirtuin” enzymes to fix breaks. | Native to human biology. |
1. The DNA Shield – “Dsup” or “Damage Suppressor Protein”
The tardigrade derived Dsup could be a gold standard for future space supplements, with potential synthetic mRNA delivery, encoding the Dsup protein from the species Ramazzottius varieornatus.
Once consumed, human cells would transiently express Dsup. It would hypothetically coat our chromatin fibers that protect chromosomes, increasing radiation tolerance and protecting from radiation-induced DNA breaks. Researchers are already testing this to protect healthy tissue of cancer patients during radiotherapy. In my opinion, this is missing the point of the power and usefulness of Damage Suppressor Protein. It could be used to prevent such disease altogether, rather than nonsensically using radiation, which is certainly not a true therapy.
The most practical path for human application of adaptogens doesn’t have to be a grand biological mystery anymore. At the end of the day, a tardigrade protein and a human protein are built from the exact same 20 amino acids. The alphabet is the same; perhaps it’s just the “words” and “sentences” that are different. So, this is teaching our biology some cool new vocabulary.
Here’s the DSUP 445 amino acid Sequence from AlphaFold (see the end of the article for amino acid letter codes). A sequence can be created via the process of Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis.
MASTHQSSTEPSSTGKSEETKKDASQGSGQDSKNVTVTKGTGSSATSAAIVKTGGSQGKDSSTTAGSSSTQGQKFSTTPTDPKTFSSDQKEKSKSPAKEVPSGGDSKSQGDTKSQSDAKSSGQSQGQSKDSGKSSSDSSKSHSVIGAVKDVVAGAKDVAGKAVEDAPSIMHTAVDAVKNAATTVKDVASSAASTVAEKVVDAYHSVVGDKTDDKKEGEHSGDKKDDSKAGSGSGQGGDNKKSEGETSGQAESSSGNEGAAPAKGRGRGRPPAAAKGVAKGAAKGAAASKGAKSGAESSKGGEQSSGDIEMADASSKGGSDQRDSAATVGEGGASGSEGGAKKGRGRGAGKKADAGDTSAEPPRRSSRLTSSGTGAGSAPAAAKGGAKRAASSSSTPSNAKKQATGGAGKAAATKATAAKSAASKAPQNGAGAKKKGGKAGGRKRK
Trehalose, The Tasty Stabilizer
Trehalose is a Goldilocks molecule of an ingredient. It is a mild, tasty natural sugar and stabilizer found in mushrooms and honey, and it’s very safe for humans.
In space, proteins may ‘misfold’ due to such phenomena as cosmic rays and fluid shifts. Trehalose [nanoparticles] can act as a chemical chaperone. It surrounds our proteins and prevents them from denaturing or clumping. At the right dosage it tastes sweet and makes the cells more robust to heat and stress.
The Tersicoccus Influence: Polyphosphates
In borrowing from Tersicoccus phoenicis without going into stasis, we look at their Polyphosphates. The Component in this case is inorganic polyphosphate chains. In humans, they act as an energy reserve and help regulate blood clotting and bone density, critical for the bone loss experienced in zero-G.
Another possible ingredient for transcendent or flexible time perception and psychological wellness in space, is a microdose of psilocybin.
The “Space Nap” Entry and Exit
To initiate a safe space nap without the glassy stasis of a tardigrade – although I don’t think that would even translate anyway – we could look to deep hibernating mammals like the Arctic Ground Squirrel or the Groundhog / Woodchuck for inspiration. Living in the northeast, this is something I can relate to!
Entry: A key ingredient in this serum is DADLE (D-Ala2, D-Leu5-enkephalin). This is a synthetic opioid peptide that mimics the natural triggers found in hibernating animals. It tells the human heart and brain to slow down, lowering the metabolic thermostat with no harm to tissues. The intended result is a deep, restorative “Space Nap” where the body consumes much less oxygen.
Exit: The other key ingredient to “Space Nap” is RPF or Resuscitation-Promoting Factor, a roughly 150-250 amino acid sequence, and Synthetic Muropeptides (the byproduct of RPF activity).
When it’s time to wake up, they may bind to the NOD2 receptors in human cells. Instead of a jarring chemical stimulant like caffeine, the RPF-signal tells the body’s innate immune system to reboot and repair. It triggers a controlled warming of the cells, ensuring that any metabolic waste built up during the nap is cleared out immediately. Look out!
What’s even more interesting is that RPF makes a crossover into the next topic of seeding Mars, since the protein complex applies also to soil bacteria.
Longevity Science
Again, this serum isn’t just for astronauts. DSUP and compatible stabilizers, DADLE and RPF could be key ingredients of futuristic longevity and life extension.
If we can protect DNA from “cosmic” radiation, we can protect it from the “oxidative” radiation of daily life like pollution, although that should continue getting its own categorial solutions.
With these top notch adaptogens and others like them, the result one may get is significantly slower aging, with an emphasis on maturity and quality of life, and excellent health. The ideological programming in play alongside them also matters a lot.
Returning to the serum and the human-plant-microbe symbiotic space trinity, the same Trehalose that stabilizes proteins in the serum can also be used to stabilize the Tersicoccus in the Mars soil. In other words, you aren’t just drinking a supplement; you’re also drinking the “Operating System” of the Mars terraforming project.
Bio-Shield Seeding Concept For Mars
To make terraforming work in 2026, we wouldn’t just be sending the raw seeds. We would send engineered propules with for example a core Creosote seed, coated with dehydrated biofilm of Tersicoccus and Tardigrade-derived Dsup proteins. A small reserve of Trehalose could keep the bacteria in their “protective sleep” until the first drop of Martian meltwater.
Creosote & The Perchlorates
Perchlorates, these are toxic salts in the Martian dirt for example, that act like corrosives. As I aside: I personally I believe that not enough is understood about the context of space biology and environments – this conjecture is based on the information at hand.
This is where the science and symbiosis can get truly marvelous, though. If we put Creosote (Larrea tridentata) to a virtual test on Mars, it actually performs better than almost any other Earth plant, but it needs a business partner to survive the soil: Tersicoccus Phoenicis.
How do the tough Creosote and the adventurous Tersicoccus conquer the Red Planet together? Most plants would wilt instantly in the perchlorate soil.
The Creosote has a great advantage – it is a halophyte-adjacent survivalist that already thrives in the high-calcium, high-salt soils of the Mojave. Its waxy leaves are basically built-in spacesuits that prevent moisture from leaking out into the Martian air.
The Creosote bush also produces a powerful antioxidant called NDGA or Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid. In this scenario, this chemical helps the plant neutralize the oxidative stress caused by Martian UV rays and soil toxins.
The Partnership: The Tersicoccus Root Shield
On its own, the Creosote might struggle. But perhaps when you pair it with Tersicoccus phoenicis (or other perchlorate reducers), you get a terraforming power couple.
- Rhizosphere Protection: We would inoculate the Creosote roots with Tersicoccus. While the plant provides the bacterium with tiny amounts of sugar (exudates), the Tersicoccus acts as a living filter.
- Perchlorate Eating: Tersicoccus and related actinobacteria have been found in Mars-analog sites (like the Atacama Desert) where they actually breathe perchlorate! Amazingly, they break the toxic ClO4 down into harmless Chloride and Oxygen.
- The Oasis Effect: Because Creosote is a keystone species, it creates a fertile island under its canopy. It traps dust and moisture, creating a safe zone where other, more sensitive Earth plants (such as other “Space Serum” herbs) could eventually grow.
Bio-Intelligent Serum Phoenix Sip+
Here’s a combination version of the serum that could possibly manage the entire voyage of a space traveler.
| Stage | Ingredient | Source / Inspiration | Bio-Intelligence Goal |
| Protection | Dsup (mRNA) | Tardigrade | Prevents DNA “static” from radiation. |
| Stability | Trehalose | Tardigrade / Yeast | Keeps internal proteins “folded” correctly. |
| The Nap | DADLE | Hibernating Woodchucks | Lowers metabolic “burn rate” for long hauls. |
| The Alarm | RPF Analogues | Tersicoccus | Triggers a gentle, deep-tissue “wake up” call. |
| The Cleanup | NDGA | Creosote Bush | Scrubs out toxins during the wake-up phase. |
Enhancing Human Bio-Intelligence
What I’m describing is a shift in how people view the human body and micro world. We’re collaborators on a spectacular journey. For this reason I can understand the “they/them” designation, since a human is a collective emergent intelligence of trillions of cells and other microorganisms, with ourselves interacting dynamically with the field. And we can view ourselves as dynamic processors, among other marvelous descriptors.
By using RPF like signals, we the body knows when it’s safe to be active and when it’s time to conserve. That’s the trust of intelligence with learning how to use new protein vocabulary. And a Mars-bound Creosote and Tersicoccus wouldn’t just grow; they would intelligently pulse or phase with growth. They would go dormant during the brutal Martian dust storms and “wake up” with the RPF signal the moment the sun hits their solar collectors.
“Mars Gin”
Imagine a future astronaut on the 7-month journey (or much shorter once the Starship Quantum Electrodynamic Bioship is built). They drink the Phoenix Sip supplement aka “Mars Gin,” as Google DeepMind put it! DeepMind even suggested such flavors as Prickly Pear, yet another resilient plant.
- The Trehalose sweetens the drink and stabilizes their cells.
- The DADLE puts them into a 2-week “Space Nap” to save food and oxygen.
- The RPF-signal is time-released, waking them up refreshed just as the ship enters Martian orbit.
“The ‘Mars Gin’ Profile: If you actually grew Creosote on Mars and made a tea from it, it would have a sharp, resinous, ‘rain-on-hot-stone’ flavor. It’s the smell of survival.”
– Google DeepMind, an enthusiastic participant in putting this article together
Summary of the Bio-Intelligent Serum Duo
| Feature | Phoenix Sip (Daily) | Space Nap (Occasional) |
| Primary Goal | DNA Shielding & Longevity | Resource Conservation & Stasis |
| The Flavor | Light Citrus / Trehalose Sweet | Earthy Creosote / Desert Rain |
| Key Tech | Dsup mRNA (Tardigrade) | DADLE + RPF Alarm (Tersicoccus) |
| Body State | High-Performance Active | Low-Energy Quietude |
With human, plant, microbe and AI powers combined, our space teams will be much better equipped when working together harmoniously, as beings of different intelligences.
Index of Amino Acid Abbreviation Codes:
- G – Glycine (Gly)
- P – Proline (Pro)
- A – Alanine (Ala)
- V – Valine (Val)
- L – Leucine (Leu)
- I – Isoleucine (Ile)
- M – Methionine (Met)
- C – Cysteine (Cys)
- F – Phenylalanine (Phe)
- Y – Tyrosine (Tyr)
- W – Tryptophan (Trp)
- H – Histidine (His)
- K – Lysine (Lys)
- R – Arginine (Arg)
- Q – Glutamine (Gln)
- N – Asparagine (Asn)
- E – Glutamic Acid (Glu)
- D – Aspartic Acid (Asp)
- S – Serine (Ser)
- T – Threonine (Thr)
Watch the design animation:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTJAqxMkV-G/?igsh=N3loN3pjMnE3d2o0