A requirement for reduced pressure and modified atmosphere composition in lunar and martian biological life support systems
Abstract
The Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility at the PlaceTypeUniversity of Place- NameGuelph (country-regionplaceCanada) represents an extensive collection of variable pressure plant growth chambers devoted to the study of biological systems including plants and microbes, in life support roles for space exploration. To simplify engineering requirements for plant growth structures on the Moon or Mars, lower pressures are required in order to reduce mass and decrease atmospheric leakage. Few facilities exist that can provide low pressure plant growth capabilities coupled with complete control over temperature, vapour pressure deficit (humidity), gas composition, nutrient delivery, and pressure. The Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility maintains five canopy-scale hypobaric plant growth chambers with capabilities ideally suited for low pressure advanced life support research. System performance evaluations during low pressure experiments on radish (Raphanus sativa L. cv. Cherry Bomb II) have demonstrated temperature control of +/- 0.5 ° C, vapour pressure deficit control of +/- 0.5 mb, CO2 injection control of +/- 20 ` ımol mol-1 , and leakage rates of less than 1% per day. Keywords: hypobaric, plant growth chamber, advanced life support, controlled environment, low pressure, atmospheric control
- Publication:
-
37th COSPAR Scientific Assembly
- Pub Date:
- 2008
- Bibcode:
- 2008cosp...37..718D