Dr. Gabrielle Caswell & Spaceport Australia: Bio-Regenerative Habitats and Human Survival in Space

Susan Wise: Welcome to Stars Launch Pod: Space Technology and Research Sciences, brought to you by StarSciences.org — where we connect, collaborate, and accelerate. I’m your host, Susan Wise, and joining us today is Dr. Gabrielle Caswell, an Australian space advocate and founder of Spaceport Australia, an independent research hub focusing on space health, human factors, and biological and technological solutions for space exploration.

And since we chatted for about 15 minutes before we started this podcast, I get to call you Dr. Gabby. Welcome to the show.

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: Thank you, Susan. Thank you so much for inviting me.

Susan Wise: We’d like to hear a little bit more about you, if you would, and also what you’re currently working on to further the space industry.

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: Oh, wow — we’ve got loads of projects! But I guess, a little bit more about me first. I’m a clinician — a doctor — as I’m always referred to in the U.S., you know? Yes, I still see patients. I’m a rural and remote practitioner in Australia, and we work a little differently here.

In Australia, we’re procedural rural general practitioners. We deliver babies, perform anesthetics, and operate — it’s a very broad skill set. In fact, I would argue this is the very skill set we need to put doctors in space or on colonies, covering everything from cradle to grave.

We also do a lot of trauma management and all those types of things that, in more specialized communities, are divided up. Whereas we do it all, so to speak. I often joke that we do everything with a pocket knife and a coat hanger — usually sterilized, I should add!

I do emergency work on the side of the road, waiting for choppers to come in and pick people up. So yes, we work a little differently in Australia. Being rural obviously gives us a huge streak of independence and autonomy — and I think those are good things.

My interest in space goes back to childhood. I’ve never not been interested in space and its possibilities. As I trained as a doctor and in other disciplines, I began to appreciate how humans are really stuck in 9.8 m/s² gravity — our physiology is geared to this. That’s why we have problems in environments with less gravity.

It’s a fascinating concept to go to space when we are so biologically bonded to this planet. That’s what we work on — because if we’re going to go to space as a species, we need to be able to live, survive, and survive well in space — and, of course, procreate, which is the big one.

Susan Wise: Right.

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: Otherwise, it’s a one-way trip, so to speak.

Susan Wise: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: It’s a real conundrum. One of the problems we see is that all our trips to space have been rather short.

Susan Wise: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: The station is actually in low Earth orbit — it’s not “space-space,” so to speak. We haven’t really had anyone live in space. They’ve visited — like a weekend away in New York — but they haven’t lived there.

Susan Wise: Mm-hmm.

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: That brings an entire range of problems that need solutions. For example, you have to take everything with you. You must be independent — able to grow your own food. Food security and food independence are critical. Your systems also need to be fixable.

This is where being from the outback is an advantage — you can’t just call in for supplies. You can’t keep sending stuff up. Everything has to be repairable. So, really sophisticated tech might not be what we take to space.

When we started thinking about this, there were two main provocations for creating Spaceport Australia. The first was what I call scientific stagnation — we’re not including everyone who can do science in the process of doing science.

That means a lot of people who don’t make it through the university system — but who could contribute — are being excluded. They might come up with solutions that traditionally trained scientists wouldn’t think of.

People argue with me about this all the time, and I say, “Well, show me one dot-com billionaire who has a university degree!” (Happy to be proven wrong.)

Susan Wise: I think you’re right.

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: Exactly. So, we have a gap in our knowledge and also a gap in practical knowledge. It’s great to have sophisticated technology and medicine, but those solutions require extensive support to deliver. That’s not going to be the reality for a doctor on a Mars colony.

Susan Wise: So, doctor yourself, I guess.

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: Exactly! So we stepped back and asked: if we’re going to put people on Mars, what do we need? We need habitats they can live in and grow food in.

We designed a bio-regenerative habitat with zero waste — everything can be recycled, reused, and reintegrated. We use biological elements to make it radiation-proof, because radiation is a major issue.

Susan Wise: You use biological elements?

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: Well, we can’t talk about all of that, but we went further — we made a biologically based, radiation-proof soil using 10,000-year-old technology. I’m also a trained archaeologist, among other things, which exposed me to a broad range of literature.

Susan Wise: Wow.

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: I’m also a trained scientist — an ecologist — so I view the human body as its own ecology. Once we start to think about it that way, we realize we need to make the environment right for that ecology.

In Western medicine, if something’s bad, we cut it out. If it’s infected, we kill it. Those tools have given us longevity, but we’ve also lost some connection to the environment that sustains us.

We know, for example, that going for a walk in the forest boosts the immune system. What does that tell you?

Susan Wise: We need forests — on the Moon and on Mars!

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: Exactly. We need oxygen factories on the Moon and Mars.

This is where the intersection happens — when highly technological systems must blend with biology. It’s sometimes an uncomfortable mix for engineers, because they like control — until they don’t have it.

If we’re not engineering for the human, the human won’t thrive. People say I’m a bit hysterical about this, but really — it takes only 3 to 120 days for the immune system to collapse in low Earth orbit.

Susan Wise: That’s not very long — you don’t get to stay there very long.

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: Exactly. And that’s just the immune system. Then we have radiation, which we understand fairly well — but microgravity, not so much.

Microgravity affects everything — from molecular structures to overall physiology. So we went back to first principles — the way physicians like Dr. House would.

You take a problem back to how something should work and identify where it isn’t — then you solve that. That’s literally what we do at Spaceport: we bring together people with different skills from around the world, and we work from the problem backward to the solution, keeping biology at the center. Because the healthiest biology will live the longest.

Susan Wise: And hopefully, you take some of that biological longevity and bring it back to Earth for health improvements here as well.

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: Absolutely! And that’s one of the most beautiful things about space research — it benefits us down here.

If you can create a soil that can grow in a closed system on Mars, imagine what that can do for food deserts or drought-stricken regions on Earth.

Susan Wise: Oh, yes — or even just the Australian outback!

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: Exactly. I actually live in the outback, and it’s incredibly harsh. We’re already living on the edge of survivability here, so a lot of what we test is highly relevant.

Susan Wise: That’s fascinating. I love that you can test these things in an Earth environment that parallels what you’d expect in off-world living.

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: Exactly. We call it analog testing. The Australian outback provides some of the best Mars analog environments on Earth — isolated, hot, dry, and resource-limited.

Susan Wise: And you can’t just run down the road to the grocery store!

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: (laughs) Exactly. You can’t just order Uber Eats out here! So, we’ve learned how to manage with what we have — which is precisely the mindset needed for space.

That’s another reason we started Spaceport Australia — to conduct practical testing of regenerative systems in harsh, isolated environments that reflect what astronauts will experience.

Susan Wise: That’s brilliant. So tell me, when you look toward the future, what are some of the goals or milestones you hope to achieve with Spaceport Australia?

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: Well, our ultimate goal is to be part of the human expansion into space. That includes helping design and test habitats, life-support systems, and health protocols that make long-duration space living possible.

We’re currently working on several projects:

• Bio-regenerative habitats, as we mentioned.
• Radiation-shielding materials based on biological and ecological principles.
• And food autonomy systems — where you can grow, process, and recycle within a closed loop.

We’re also focused on training people — not just astronauts, but engineers, biologists, and medics — to think differently. Space isn’t about competition; it’s about collaboration. We’ll only succeed if we bring all disciplines together.

Susan Wise: I love that. Collaboration instead of competition.

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: Yes. Space isn’t going to reward egos — it rewards adaptability. If you’re stuck in a rigid hierarchy, you won’t survive out there.

And I think that’s the next great step for humanity — learning how to cooperate at a planetary level before we take the leap to becoming interplanetary.

Susan Wise: That’s such a powerful statement. It’s not just about technology; it’s about who we are as humans.

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: Exactly. We often talk about “space as a frontier,” but it’s not a frontier in the old sense — it’s not about conquest. It’s about adaptation and integration.

If we go into space carrying the same mindset that’s damaged this planet, we’ll just repeat the cycle. So, a big part of what we do is not just technical — it’s philosophical.

Susan Wise: That’s so true.

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: We have to learn how to exist sustainably — whether that’s on Earth, the Moon, or Mars.

Susan Wise: You mentioned something earlier that really struck me — that humans haven’t truly lived in space yet, only visited. What do you think are the key steps we still need to take before that’s possible?

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: That’s a great question. There are three main hurdles:

1. Physiological adaptation — we have to understand how to maintain long-term health in microgravity and radiation environments.
2. Psychological stability — isolation and confinement will affect mental health profoundly.
3. Sustainability — every system has to be regenerative.

We can’t afford a “use and discard” model in space. Everything must feed back into the cycle — from oxygen and water to food and waste.

Susan Wise: That makes total sense. It’s the ultimate closed ecosystem.

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: Exactly. And I think, once we master that, it’ll revolutionize how we live on Earth as well.

Susan Wise: I can absolutely see that. So, before we wrap up, what message would you like to leave with our listeners — especially the younger ones who dream of working in space someday?

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: Oh, I love that question. I would say: don’t wait for permission.

If you’re passionate about space — or science, or sustainability — start now. Learn, build, collaborate, experiment. You don’t need a fancy title to contribute. Some of the greatest ideas in history came from people working outside the system.

Space needs thinkers, dreamers, builders, artists — everyone. If we’re going to make it, it has to be an all-hands-on-deck effort from humanity.

Susan Wise: That’s such an inspiring message. Dr. Gabby, thank you for sharing your insight and passion today — and for all the incredible work you’re doing with Spaceport Australia.

Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell: Thank you, Susan. It’s been a real pleasure.

Susan Wise: And thank you to our listeners for joining us on Stars Launch Pod: Space Technology and Research Sciences, brought to you by StarSciences.org — where we connect, collaborate, and accelerate. Until next time, keep looking up!