HAVE SEEDS WILL TRAVEL !

By Team Green Wizards

Yushra Nawfar

Rishdha Riffaudeen

Monalee Dissanayake

Anuththara Kaluarachchi

Eksadee Yuhasna

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NASA Space Apps Challenges 2021

THE PROBLEM �

• Eligible types of food – Spinach Lettuce

Kale Strawberry

• To meet food and Nutritional requirements

Daily need of one person is 2.49kg

The key nutrients such as Vitamin B1,C and K

• For a cabin of 4-6 for three years?

For a cabin of 4 people will satisfy with 8719.65kg of food for the three years.

• Match the transit environment - The chambers should not be affected by radiation and exposure to GCR(Galactic Cosmic Radiation) and SPE (Solar Particle Events)
• An effective crop production system
• Small space and mass allocation
• Usage of minimum resources

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A viable food system for long duration exploration missions !

SOLUTION !

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• Aeroponic based crop production system
• LED Bulbs of different wavelengths of blue and red to satisfy the energy requirement of the plant
• Nutrient solution consisting of a mixture of various nutrients to support the growth and development of the plant which is sprayed by mist nozzles(5 to 50 microns) to the root system. The nutrition solution tank is made up of non corrosive plastic tank.
• CO₂ sending pipes to ensure the supply of CO₂ gas to promote photosynthesis.
• Automated sensors for monitoring the humidity, temperature, water level, pH and CO₂ for the optimal growth of plant.

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Here it goes !

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This is a video !

HOW DOES THIS FIX THE PROBLEM ? �

• Meets the crop production requirements in both microgravity and partial gravity
• Provides visible growth area
• Nutrition Solution – continuously flows through the chambers by using water loop system.
• Exchange of O₂ and CO₂ – emitted CO₂ can be converted to O₂ by lithium hydroxide canisters method.
• Radiations to support photosynthesis – LED bulbs with different wavelengths to meet the energy requirement of the plant.
• Radiation protective – Chambers made up of foldable polyethylene bags and stainless steel base.

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• Reduced mass and storage area

This structure can be folded and expanded when it is needed.

Figure A : Stacked version

Figure B : Expanded version

• The diameter of the chamber is 70cm
• Storage volume of the chamber system is 1.0395m³
• Area of one chamber is 0.385 m²
• Total number of plants in one chamber is 15 hence the total number of plants in this system is 135.
• The emitted CO₂ will be collected by the zeolite method to refill the CO₂ tank.
• CO₂ exhaled will be converted to O₂ by the following reaction and that O₂ will be inhaled again.

KO₂ + CO₂ = K₂CO₃ + O₂

• This can also be extended in such a way that production of biogas where it includes a mixture of gases containing CO₂ and methane from decomposition of plant debris and human waste to be used as an energy source.

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Figure A

Figure B

Lithium Hydroxide Canisters Method

References and special thanks…

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• https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/webform/daily-nutrient-requirements-calculator
• https://thepracticalplanter.com/ultimate-guide-to-aeroponics/
• https://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/everydaylife/jamestown-needs-fs.html#:~:text=When%20astronauts%20travel%20into%20space,this%20weight%20is%20packaging%20material.
• https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/24044/mass-of-food-per-astronaut-per-year-for-an-extended-deep-space-excursion
• https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/143163main_Space.Food.and.Nutrition.pdf
• https://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/everydaylife/jamestown-needs-fs.html#:~:text=When%20astronauts%20travel%20into%20space,this%20weight%20is%20packaging%20material.
• https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/24044/mass-of-food-per-astronaut-per-year-for-an-extended-deep-space-excursion
• https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/breathe-easy/equipment-info/oxygen-tanks/&ved=2ahUKEwiTxMTBs6jzAhUt4zgGHY58ABYQFnoECAMQBQ&usg=AOvVaw0sc_jgjbgWt39a_OwLJYte

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We have gone through the project ‘Veggie’ of the international Space Agency to collect more data and to get more ideas.

Our team has followed the following links as well.

And our team is thankful for NASA for giving this valuable opportunity to share our ideas, Our local leaders, mentors, organizers, all the websites where we referred, parents, teachers and the people who helped us in many ways.

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