High-Level Project Summary
The importance of this problem lies in the fact that a viable food system for long-duration exploration missions does not exist yet, but it will be necessary to maintain the health and performance of the crew.Plants in space have a greater impact than is normally thought. Starting first because plants provide food and oxygen, but it has been shown that they also influence the mental health of astronauts. As a proposed solution to this problem, the team is focused on developing a deployable crop production system that has the necessary conditions of a controlled environment, capable of supporting the nutrition requirements of a crew on a transit mission to Mars and back to Earth.
Link to Project "Demo"
Link to Final Project
Detailed Project Description
The system consists of 14 carbon fiber tubes, grouped as a structure of two arrays of 7 tubes contained within a circumference (or within a cylinder, in this case). These, in turn, are surrounded by a polyimide, which helps to protect the crops from radiation, temperature and the general environment of the system. The tubes are joined through a threading system and locks, which prevent any type of water leakage.
The tubes are connected to two neoprene hoses. In the front part, the hose where the tubes end and in the "base" are both the inlet of the pump and the outlet of the water to the waste system.
The unfolding part comes from the fact that the structure can be unfolded in such a way that it can adapt to any type of structure. In the case of the system within the ISS, the geometry is cylindrical in shape because this is the shape of the station modules, but it could well be deployed in, for example, a flat rectangular wall or geometries even with curved structures.
Space Agency Data
The Veggie Production System (Veggie) is a plant growth unit on the International Space Station. The Veggie concept is a simple, low-power system for growing fresh, nutritious food for our astronauts to supplement their diet and use as a tool to support relaxation and leisure. There are two Veggie units aboard the station, along with a more sophisticated growth chamber, the Advanced Plant Habitat.- Veggie was built by ORBITEC in Madison, Wisconsin (Sierra Nevada Corporation acquired OR-BITEC in 2014) under NASA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Veggie runs on about 70 watts for lights, fans, and control electronics.
This system, designed and implemented on the ISS, is the one that will be used for the germination process, which is decisive to be able to carry out crop planting, since it facilitates the early birth of the plants to be grown, the maximum yield of the seed and, therefore, of useful plants, the obtaining of better fruits and higher yields, avoiding defoliation.
How does it work?
Currently, the seeds used for the veggie program are glued in strands. This is what secures the seeds and keeps them in place. The water reservoir, which is better known as a root mat, has a Nomex top, which absorbs water from an inner water bag. When the root mat is in contact with the bottom of the plant pillow, it allows water to transfer to the pillows.
Previous versions of Veggie were tested at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Steve Swanson installed Veggie in the Columbus laboratory module on May 7, 2014 - Veggie runs on about 70 watts for lights, fans and control electronics.
Astronauts have grown eight different types of leafy green plants in Veggie for astronauts to eat. In all, 15 different types of plants have been grown in space in Veggie. Researchers at Kennedy Space Center have tested more than 100 crops on the ground.
Hackathon Journey
How was your experience at Space Apps?
Adela: My experience participating in this competition was really good, I learned a lot and I had fun. It is an experience that everyone should have. I learn a lot about botanics and hydroponic systems. It may seem like useless information, but I'm happy to know about these topics. I didn’t sleep by the way.
Francia:. This was my first experience in a hackathon, research, while at the same time proposing solutions was a difficult task, full of new knowledge, anecdotes to tell and to see how from different ideas a single one emerges and creates a style of synergy is amazing.
Giselle: As my first hackathon this was a kind of thrilling experience, having to sit all day investigating everything that's needed for the creation of the project and the fact that something that started the morning before has come this far feels amazing. Like my partner I also learned a lot about botanics and the hydroponics system, aside from this I also learned about how fluids work in space and the growing of plants in outer space environments
Mauricio: My experience during this project was very gratifying. I met very interesting and smart people and we all get along very well. Although there were many activities to do in less than 48 hours, I think it's part of improving myself and learning more. In less than two days I went from studying aerospace engineering to becoming a botanist and an expert in cropping systems (lol).
I learned how to use new design tools in SolidWorks, different ways on how we can grow plants in space and its implications.
I learned how the actual system “veggie” was able to grow and harvest several types of lettuce, the characteristics of new materials and in conclusion I learned that it is possible to develop something in a short period of time.
References
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NASA Space Apps Challenge. (2021). Retrieved 4 October 2021, from https://2021.spaceappschallenge.org/challenges/statements/have-seeds-will-travel/teamsl
Ecoinventos. (2021). Cultivo hidropónico: qué, cómo, cuándo, quién, dónde y por qué. Retrieved 4 October 2021, from https://ecoinventos.com/las-5w-del-cultivo-hidroponico/
PRFARMCREDIT. (2021).Los diferentes sistemas de cultivo hidropónico y sus beneficios. Retrieved 4 October 2021, from https://prfarmcredit.com/sistemas-de-cultivos-hidroponicos/
NASA. (2021). Reference Guide to the International Space Station Retrieved 4 October 2021, from https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/508318main_ISS_ref_guide_nov2010.pdf
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NASA. (2021). Veggie Fact Sheet. Retrieved 4 October 2021, from https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/veggie_fact_sheet_508.pdf
(PDF) Hydroponic Technologies. (2021). Hydroponic Technologies
Retrieved 4 October 2021, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333941796_Hydroponic_Technologies
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Systems Analyze Water Quality in Real Time | NASA Spinoff. (2021). Systems Analyze Water Quality in Real Time
Retrieved 4 October 2021, from https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2010/er_1.html
Poliimida - gaz.wiki. (2021). Poliimida. Retrieved 4 October 2021, from https://gaz.wiki/wiki/es/Polyimide
Generación Verde. (2021). Tipos de Sistemas Hidropónicos. Retrieved 4 October 2021, from https://generacionverde.com/blog/hidroponia/tipos-de-sistemas-hidroponicos/
Revista de la Facultad de Medicina de la UNAM. (2021). Aspectos de la nutrición en vuelos espaciales. Retrieved 4 October 2021, from http://www.scielo.org.mx/pdf/facmed/v60n6/2448-4865-facmed-60-06-47.pdf
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. (2021). Hydroponics. Retrieved 4 October 2021, from https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/print-publications/hla/hydroponics-hla-6442.pdf
Sika. (2021). SikaWrap® -530 C/105. Retrieved 4 October 2021, from https://sikastore.com.mx/wp-content/uploads/pdf/FIBRAS%20DE%20CARBONO/SikaWrap%20530%20C-105.pdf
Tags
#Space #SpaceApps #Veggie #NASA #NASAGOV #DCPS #Mars #LetsGoToMars #GoingToMars #Plants #Hydroponics #Veggan #Robots #SpaceNerd #Nerd #Vehicle #ISS #ESA
Global Judging
This project has been submitted for consideration during the Judging process.