The South Pole Greenhouse and Development/Construction of a Lunar Habitat Demonstrator

The South Pole Greenhouse and Development/Construction of a Lunar Habitat Demonstrator THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA Controlled Environment Agriculture Center, Tucson, AZ Sadler Machine Co. Tempe, AZ Dr.Gene Giacomelli/ Phil Sadler 10/24/07 NASA Photo

Utility Room Door Dividing Wall Upper Short Crop Growing Systems Lower Short Crop Growing Systems Enviro-Room Tall Crop Growing Systems Production Room Hobby System

Fabricating Chamber Components at Sadler Machine Co. Tempe, AZ and assembled at the Univ. of Arizona s Controlled Environment Agriculture Center.

The chamber was then disassembled and shipped to McMurdo Station, Antarctica, and then flown to South Pole

NSF Photo

United States National Science Foundation s (NSF) New Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station Food Growth Chamber (SPFGC). Copyright Phil Sadler 02/05/07

The UA-CEAC continues to assist in chamber operation by being able to remotely operate the chamber from Tucson with a Web based control and data collection system, along with teaching future operators, providing student training, and remote expert assistance to the isolated crew via a Web-cam and satellite communication system. Copyright Phil Sadler 02/05/07

Our student Lane Patterson was able to average 60-65 lbs (27.3 kg) of produce a week from a growing area of 14 X 18-250 ft 2 (23m 2 ) 2000 ft 3 (57m 3 ) Over 1kg produce /square meter/week Winter South Pole 2006-2007

Lunar Habitat Copyright Phil Sadler 02/05/07

Lunar Habitat Model Copyright Phil Sadler 02/05/07

This illustrates the location of the greenhouses and Post Harvest Module relative to the solar concentrators. Greenhouse Post Harvest Module Hub Module Greenhouse Copyright Phil Sadler 02/05/07

The inflatable modules and inner solid ring structures in their stowed and inflated configurations.

Pictured below is Cable Culture developed for our Mars Greenhouse. Lettuce growing the upper picture and a tomato crop in the lower pictures. Copyright Phil Sadler 10/25/06

Growing envelope arrangement flexibility will allow maximizing the lighting efficiency and production area for the over 20 different variety of cultivars that will need to be grown in the Lunar Greenhouse. Copyright Phil Sadler 02/05/07

Food Cycle- 50% total crew calories are supplied from Earth, 50% of crew calories are produced in greenhouse from hydroponic nutrient salts from Earth. Hydroponic Nutrient Salts Habitat Atmosphere Losses 50% 50% Grains Meat Condiments Beverages Sweets Incinerated Waste Toilet Aqueous Bioreactor Toilet Galley Waste Post Harvest Waste Potatoes Beans Vegetables Fruit NO2 Salad Crops CO2 (Gas) Copyright Phil Sadler 10/25/06

The hydroponic nutrient salts are brought from Earth, utilized, and removed in the carbonized/ash waste stream and returned to Earth Resupply From Earth NPK+ MicroNutrients Hydroponic Nutrient Salts Hydroponic Nutrient Salts Hydroponic Nutrient Salts Hydroponic Nutrient Salts Leakage/EVA Habitat Interior N 2 Retrograde to Earth Edible Food Crop Production Unedible Biomass Potassium Phosphorus MicroNutrients Solid Human Waste Stream Composter Composter Residual Waste Carbonizing Ash Oven Copyright Phil Sadler 02/05/07

Atmosphere Revitalization Pathway Nutrient Oxygenation Oxygen Crew Respiration Carbon Dioxide Compost Waste Incineration Toilet Oxygen Greenhouse Organics Filter Carbon Dioxide Human Waste Aqueous Bioreactor Composter Microbial Respiration Copyright Phil Sadler 10/25/06

The lunar habitat s water cycle will have inputs from Earth and possibly in situ sources. The greenhouse and composter will recycle the wastewater with filtering for human consumption. Resupply from Earth Condenser Greenhouse Atmosphere Greenhouse Condensate Filter Potable Water Service & Hygiene Water Crew Waste Water Possible In Situ Water Greenhouse Grey Water for Nutrient Makeup Condenser Composter Atmosphere Composter Copyright Phil Sadler 10/25/06

The Solar Concentrator Power System will generate fiber-optic visible light, electrical power, and heat, which will be used to operate these systems. Solar Concentrator Power System Solar Radiation Greenhouse Plant Lighting Habitat Interior Lighting (Post Harvest Module) Direct IR Water Heating for Hygiene Service Water, and Radiant Station Heating PhotoVoltaic Power Generation Sterling Cycle Engine Water Recycling HVAC Chilled Coolant (Post Harvest Module/Greenhouse) Thermal Well Flat Panel Radiator Copyright Phil Sadler 02/05/07

Fresnel type concentrator panels on Lunar habitat Copyright Phil Sadler 02/05/07

NASA has supported research in two types of solar concentrators to support fiber-optic lighting of a space greenhouse. First is a dish concentrator and the other is a Fresnel lens type concentrator. Copyright Phil Sadler 02/05/07

Present Effort at UA-CEAC Our goal is to verify NASA s water recycling, air revitalization, and multi-crop food production data in an ALS Lunar greenhouse like environment. Post Harvest Module/ Component Test Module 4 Units of Lunar Greenhouse Copyright Phil Sadler 02/05/07

UA-CEAC 4-Lunar Greenhouse modules under construction. Live Web-cam address is http://ag.arizona.edu/ceac/live/ceac_live.htm Copyright Phil Sadler 02/05/07

THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA Controlled Environment Agriculture Center Tucson, AZ Dir. Dr.Gene Giacomelli Special Thanks To: Dr. Peter Wilkniss-NSF/OPP Erick Chiang-NSF/OPP Pat Haggerty-NSF/OPP Lane Patterson-UA-CEAC Dr. Roberto Furfaro-UA AME Dr. Merle Jensen- UA-CEAC (ret.) Ralph P.Prince- NASA KSC (ret.)