[Space] What’s the minimum resources required for Asteroid or Comet habitats?

[Allu]

Originally Posted by Trachmyr

While recycling is important, I actually think that as for O2, high efficiency is not too critical. The reason is that a lot of Water Ice is mined, used primarily as reaction mass. While many "short-run" vessels use water as reaction mass, there are many that use Hydrogen.... that leaves a lot of O2 leftover (millions of tons a year), although it is also used as reaction mass (4x thrust and 1/4th Delta-V).

My primary concern with that method would be that you're constantly increasing the atmospheric mass inside the habitats and tying up a lot of carbon in the air.

You are also going to find the CO2 content of the atmospheres in the habitats quickly exceeding tolerable levels. Unless you just vent all that CO2 into space (or use it for fuel) in which case you're wasting that carbon.

Since you mentioned bio-tech TL10 I'd just go with large mirrors focusing solar light onto gengineered plants for the CO2->O2 process.

I honestly don't know how rare carbon is in asteroids or comets but if you're giving them bio-tech at TL+1 then they really shouldn't be wasting it.