High-Level Project Summary
Plant ON seeks to create a cultivation system that is easy to transport and deploy, as well as a modular design that will allow the food that astronauts can consume during their stay on these space missions to be grown on demand.The design is functional and easy to deploy, which guarantees to minimize transport costs by weight and reduce the space occupied during the outward journey when fully folded.Plant ON is a system of planting modules built with antifungal inflatable plastic or textile material in the shape of a 58 cm3 cube, accompanied by a growing basket that is located inside.
Link to Project "Demo"
Link to Final Project
Detailed Project Description
How does it work?
The basic cultivation module - BCM will be made of inflatable antifungal plastic or textile material with walls of the same material of approximately 58 cm3 with the option of modifying these dimensions, which allows the following:
· As it is an inflatable structure, it saves space for shipping, the maximum volume is achieved when reaching the destination by providing only air.
· By using a textile or plastic material, a low weight of the structure is guaranteed for shipping, since the maximum weight is achieved at the destination by providing only air.
· It is a completely deployable system since only air is required to be armed.
· Easy to install as it does not require special tools for deployment.
· Ease of operation and transport completely compressed in cases.
· Allows thermal control since the plants are in a controlled and sealed space.
· It allows to implement closing of water cycles through the integration of alternate systems.
· Adaptability to LED lighting systems to guarantee photosynthesis through the application of low power consumption lamps.
· Being in a sealed system, it is possible to recover 02 and supply CO2.
· Modular system that allows BCMs to be added to the sides and on top by request with magnet or velcro fastening.
· Capacity to store 4 crop trays
· Possibility of designing transparent material walls that allow visibility to the interior for monitoring and control.
· Ease of maintenance and cleaning.
· Mechanical strength
· Impermeability.
· Possibility of mounting on pre-existing structures or on the ground.
· Growth by demand allows the number of BCMs required for a long-duration mission to be folded up during the trip and deployed at the destination to meet the astronauts' food needs.
· Microgravity and partial gravity crop production capacity.
· Soft walls made of the same material as the structure.
· Ability to integrate telemetry systems to reduce crew interactions
Space Agency Data
Mainly various readings and videos related to the Veggie project and APH.
All the results obtained in these preliminary investigations, including images of these prototypes and the results obtained served as the basis for proposing the design delivered in this project.
https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/veggie_fact_sheet_508.pdf
https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/advanced-plant-habitat.pdf
Hackathon Journey
How would you describe your Space Apps experience? We had the opportunity to participate last year and it has been a very enriching experience that allows us to contribute to the great challenges posed by the modern world.
What did you learn? Every day is a new opportunity to acquire knowledge, this time about the food requirements of astronauts for their future missions.
What inspired your team to choose this challenge? We have the ability to design systems and graphically show the solution.
What was your approach to developing this project? We focus on a one-to-one solution of the required requirements, in this way the idea can be developed and adjusted.
How did your team resolve setbacks and challenges? The surest way is through good communication and teamwork.
Is there anyone you'd like to thank and why? Always to my family and to the life that gives us daily opportunities to continue growing, contributing and learning.
References
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM3uaR0dltQ&list=PL37Yhb2zout05pUjr7OoRFpTNroq_wd9f&index=9
https://www.nasa.gov/content/growing-plants-in-space
https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/veggie_fact_sheet_508.pdf
https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/advanced-plant-habitat.pdf
https://asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/living-in-space/eating-in-space.asp
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/plb.12098
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2214552421000183?via%3Dihub
Tags
#plantON #Haveseedswilltravel
Global Judging
This project has been submitted for consideration during the Judging process.