Hi Dirk. Certainly lava is a good choice, because it contain a lot of useful minerals. But lava from different volcanoes may have different composition, so one type of plants will grow better than the other one. I think that much better is to use lava in a form of some base or initial compound, in which can be added certain number of micro- and macro-elements that will make it equally good for variety of plants.

How will we get it in space though? In liquid form? Or do we make the biosphere on earth and send it up? Both would be really expensive...

Grtz, Jens

Hi Dirk.

I think before we can reach other planets with volcanic activity and can get some materials, we should build a space station with its own ecosystem. So, the best choice, lift up some materials from the Earth. And we certainly don't need the liquid lava =) All value of the lava, as material for a new ecosystem, is in its composition (so here can be problem taking lava from other planets which may have different composition).

I don't really see the point in taking lava with us though, we could take so many other usefull resources with us and then we would choose lava?

Grtz Jens

Hi -Jens-.

Lava can be a good soil. But if think a little bit about a problem, you can comprehend that there exist another good method of growing food. It is hydroponics - it's cheaper and better than uses of lava.

Hi Artem

I understand that lava makes good soil, but why would we take lava to space instead of the soil itself? That would be a lot more convenient, right?

Greeting Jens

Hi -Jens-.

The initial question was "Is earth-lava a good starter for a biosphere in space?".

So I start to think in that way, that was interesting to imagine such situation. But from practical point of view directly use lava is not a good idea, that's obviously.