Scientific Mandarins

https://www.canva.com/design/DAErwOfwMGw/_K0_SbisvgYC9zCorJdzOA/view?utm_content=DAErwOfwMGw&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=sharebutton

https://github.com/zvmzaretsky/evepsy

We are creating plant life support system to improve crew's health and productivity during the Mars trip.

Our system is a transformable external module, during the flight it can be extended. During the returning from Mars crew will use 100% of the system power, but on the way to the Mars they will need only 30%. Our module allows to avoid taking additional space, it will take only as much as required for the current period. This makes our system comfortable and effective in use.

Watering plants as well as using a lot of substrate is known to be problematic in space conditions. We suggest to use improved Hydroponic Drip System to deliver water specifically to each plant's root. This will be achieved by using Soft Tube robots that will deliver solution of minerals directly to the root. This requires computer vision / machine learning.

(links to photos [https://www.vinerobots.org/design/ https://www.wired.com/story/vinebot/])

Otherwise, there is a risk that plants will not receive required water and substances.

Referring to the previous experience of NASA, to grow plants inside a starship we also need sensors. We will control humidity, temperature, CO2, O2, pressure, ethylene. In addition to that, air circulation system will be used https://ttu-ir.tdl.org/bitstream/handle/2346/67664/ICES_2016_320.pdf?sequence=1.

As a source of light we are using LED strips, that are built into the roof of the module. Plants need full spectre of colours but the most effective is 450 nm and 640 nm waves, according to NASA https://ttu-ir.tdl.org/bitstream/handle/2346/67664/ICES_2016_320.pdf?sequence=1.

We suggest using a cladding that will consist of

Nextel (1.2 gm \ cm2)

Inflatable Kevlar + bladder (0.028 gm \ cm2)

Lithium hydride (2 gm \ cm2)

This material is quite light, flexible and protects plants from radiation

Water circulation will be closed. Extra humidity will be collected from air and used to water plants. Air will be constantly circulating in the system, because it is very important. To do this, on one side of the system will be ventilators, and on the other filters. At the same time air passes through them, analyzed and excess moisture is removed.

LED strips will raise temperature inside the module, so if necessary, cooling system will be activated.

Gases will also be controlled. This will solve problem that plants have different gas exchange rate during their life.

The total weight is 1801.6 kg. Details of the calculations and descriptions can be found in our draft, where we have noted the majority of our work. [https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1lVZBOLCaCrEEkfVHTdLvtDFQII4AP4b9-GMUIA9akeo/edit#slide=id.p]

We read a lot of information about similar NASA projects. We read about both their technical and scientific components. After analyzing the literature and brainstorming, we began to come up with a concept. Here are links to some of them:

1. https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/np-2017-04-014-jsc_iss_utilization_brochure_2017_biological_research.pdf
2. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20190032993/downloads/20190032993.pdf
3. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20130000809/downloads/20130000809.pdf
4. https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/nutritional_biochemistry_of_space_flight_-fpdis.pdf
5. https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/143163main_Space.Food.and.Nutrition.pdf
6. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20190032993/downloads/20190032993.pdf
7. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/b4h-3rd/eds-commercial-partners-expanding-iss-capabilities/ -

• It was fascinating. We are extremely excited. I hope this wave of energy will be with us at least till the implementation of the project. Also our team believes that we will help all the humanity.
• We learned how to distribute and manage team responsibilities. At times we understood that it is necessary not to deviate from the main task, because we will not solve all the problems "in the world". It is also the first our experience of potentially commercial projects. Therefore, we tried to cover the financial aspects.
• Most of our team members study life sciences. Yaroslav and Ilya had experience in solving problems in designing a space farm for animals. Therefore, the choice of our task is based not only on extreme curiosity, but also on life experience. We love plants and want to halp them to travel in the space :-)
• We separated into two groups. Andrew, Ilya and Yaroslav were together in the room while solving the problem. Misha and Vasya were with us remotely. When the moment of difficulty came, we did a brainstorm. Thus, we began to develop a compartment for growing plants with artificial gravity, and after several brainshtorms come up with Expandable System. The main thing is to clearly orient your brain efforts.
• We are very grateful to the organizers and mentors who helped us in our project. We are also grateful to our professors at the university that provided us with the skills and knowledge to implement such a project. Special thanks to the mentors: Yaroslav Zaplatnikov, Dmytro Khmar and Panasyuk Hanna.
• One of our team members (Andrew) wrote personal feedback: This is my first time, when I participate in Space Apps, so that for me there are new emotions, new experience and a new page in life. During the hackathon, I got to know a lot of new information about the structure of the ISS, spaceships and the problems which astronauts face in space. We chose this project, because we found it actual, unusual and complex. Therefore, we creatively approached the solution of this issue and in a short period of time invented an interesting structure for growing plants in space. Due to the complexity of the topic, many questions appeared. But, with the help of a friendly team and good mentors, solutions were quickly found. I would like to thank NASA for organizing the hackathon, as well as a friend who invited me to participate in the project. I am happy that I spent these days in great company, doing an interesting work.

1. https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/np-2017-04-014-jsc_iss_utilization_brochure_2017_biological_research.pdf
2. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20190032993/downloads/20190032993.pdf
3. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20130000809/downloads/20130000809.pdf
4. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=635
5. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20140002643/downloads/20140002643.pdf
6. https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/nutritional_biochemistry_of_space_flight_-fpdis.pdf
7. https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/143163main_Space.Food.and.Nutrition.pdf
8. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20190032993/downloads/20190032993.pdf
9. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/b4h-3rd/eds-commercial-partners-expanding-iss-capabilities/ -
10. https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-new-space-botanist-arrives-at-launch-site
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_gravity
12. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2214552415300092
13. https://youtu.be/K1X5_GXCUUE?t=263
14. http://www.artificial-gravity.com/sw/SpinCalc/SpinCalc.htm
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plants_in_space
16. http://www.artificial-gravity.com/
17. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0094576520306494
18. https://ttu-ir.tdl.org/bitstream/handle/2346/67664/ICES_2016_320.pdf?sequence=1
19. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2020.00673/full
20. https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/living-in-space/eating-in-space.asp
21. https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/Diet_tracker_in_space
22. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41526-017-0022-z
23. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8syLDHMKxk
24. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19004188/
25. https://psci.princeton.edu/tips/2020/11/9/the-future-of-farming-hydroponics
26. file:///D:/%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%B3%D1%80%D1%83%D0%B7%D0%BA%D0%B8/Up_Up_and_Away_The_Economics_of_Vertical_Farming.pdf
27. https://directory.eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/e/eu-cropis
28. https://nanoracks.com/microgravity-research/
29. https://analytics.dkv.global/spacetech/Space-Medicine-and-Human-Longevity-in-Space-2021.pdf
30. https://elib.dlr.de/122102/1/2018_Article_EuCROPISEuglenaGracilisCombine.pdf
31. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/types-of-lettuce#4.-Leaf-lettuce
32. https://gardening.page/characteristics-care-and-spinach/
33. https://www.herbazest.com/herbs/strawberry
34. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/servings-of-vegetables-per-day
35. https://thegreengardenlife.com/growing-hydroponic-lettuce-at-home/
36. https://www.simplyseed.co.uk/blog/cut-and-come-again-lettuce-and-salads.html
37. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWeFH1MVHko
38. https://ttu-ir.tdl.org/bitstream/handle/2346/67664/ICES_2016_320.pdf?sequence=1
39. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.16.205534v1.full.pdf+html
40. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-01707-2 
41. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214552420300377
42. Giraudo, M., Schuy, C., Weber, U., Rovituso, M., Santin, G., Norbury, J. W., … Tessa, C. L. (2018). Accelerator-Based Tests of Shielding Effectiveness of Different Materials and Multilayers Fusing High-Energy Light and Heavy Ions. Radiation Research. doi:10.1667/rr15111.1

#Plants, #Mars, #Kyiv, #Kiev, #Ukraine

This project has been submitted for consideration during the Judging process.