Micro-Climate Control Algorithm Development for Martian Greenhouses at SLS Lab KSC NASA

Vadim RygalovVadim Rygalov, , Ph.D.Ph.D.

Space Life Sciences Laboratory Space Life Sciences Laboratory Department of Space Studies Department of Space Studies

John D. Odegard School of Aero-Space SciencesJohn D. Odegard School of Aero-Space SciencesUniversity of North DakotaUniversity of North Dakota

Relevance to NASA Growing plants in space

Current plant tests on board of ISS Reduced pressure horticulture

Reduced stresses & leaks rate Reduced re-supply capabilities Less plant growth system mass Wider selection of transparent materials for

‘Space Greenhouse’, etc.

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Research Projects at UND SLSLabResearch Projects at UND SLSLab Testing of plant development cycle under reduced

pressures Plants vegetation Plant seed germination Micro-climate control under reduced pressure

Model development for thermal control Problem:

Radiation dominates instead of convective heat exchange Thermal gradients development

Model development for air circulation and photosynthetic gases exchange

Problem: Diffusion dominates instead of convection Stagnant zones

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Reduced Pressure Problems

Combined stress:•‘Sunburn’ •‘Frost bite’•Increased evapo-transpiration•‘Intelligent’ micro-climate control is a requirement

Progress with the project Hardware

LPTB (KSC NASA) Micro-Climate Control Data Acquisition

Subsystem Artificial Atmospheres

Subsystem

Low Pressure Simulation System (UND SLSLab)

Reduced PressuresMicro-Climate Model(UND SLSLab)

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Research Team

Co-InvestigatorsDr. Ray WheelerSenior Scientist, NASA Surface Systems Office,Space Life Sciences Lab,KSC NASA

SLSLab, KSC NASA Collaborators/Subcontractors

Space Studies StudentsJosh Nelson (Dec. 2011 grad.)Len Hillhouse (Summer 2012)Brad Schanche (M.S. Student)Ann Wargetz (M.S. Student)Marty McNutt (M.S. Student)

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Presentations at the Conferences (subsequent publications):•International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES)•Committee on Space Research (COSPAR)•Global Luna Exploration Conference (GLEX), May 2012

Future Plans

SLSLab KSC NASA Full scale simulation for plants growth

under reduced pressure ‘Thermotron’ at KSC NASA ‘Mars Dome’

Integration Thermal Control Artificial Atmospheres Control Plant growth cycle (‘seed to seed’)

UND SLSLab Automated ‘Mars Dome’ Micro-Climate

Control Algorithm

ISS ‘Mars Dome’ Tests

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