Plantation in Space AZIMA FATIMA
DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH BIHAR, GAYA
INTRODUCTION Space farming refers to the cultivation of crops for food and other materials in space or on off-Earth celestial objects – equivalent to agriculture on Earth. Farming on celestial bodies, such as the Moon or Mars. For farming in space we need CELSS (Controlled Ecological Life Support System) under this system farming are possible. It is creates self-supporting environments to maintain and support human life on space stations or colonies. CELSS are typically “Living machines” which should ideally provide full life support (fresh air, organic food and clean water) to its inhabitants by continuous recycling of the waste products produced by the inhabitants and also by CELSS itself. Control Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) CELSS are ecosystem that don’t rely on matter exchange with anything outside the system. CELSS are Bioregenerative life system are artificial ecosystem consist of many symbiotic relationships among highier plant , microorganism and humans. The major challenges of growing plants in space are- micro gravity, high pressure ,harmful radiation , humidity, temperature and providing appropriate amount of gases . So, CELSS can provides a habitation environment similar to Earth’s Biosphere.
METHODS OF SPACE FARMING .SPACECRAFT FARMING Provides food for few crew members for small missions. It occurs in small life support chambers. Mostly produces salad crops (i.e. lettuce, radish, tomato, carrots, onions, and cabbage) easily consumable in microgravity environment
PLANETERY SURFACE FARMING Occurs on surfaces like lunar , asteroid and Mars. Providing food for long term mission to crew member. It is large dome shapes life support chamber in this plant as well as human are lived. Build on large area of planetary surface.
1.) Human 2.) Plants (produces food, Oxygen and water to human & inedible material processed & produces CO2 for plants. 3.) Microbes 4). Gray water- are soapy water by human hygiene activity 5.) Brown feces- process in fermenter by microbe converted into CO2 & nutrient for plants.
COMPONENTS OF CELSS 1.) LED light- Providing PAR( photosynthetically active radiation) to plants , alternatively we used converging mirrors for allowing only PAR into the dome of CELSS. 2.) Temperature and humidity regulators- multiple fans are used to conditioning the air for maintaining optimum temperature. 3.) CO2 is supplied by cyclinders for photosynthesis & IR sensors is also present the survellence for CO2. 4.) Plant pillow or root mat reservoir- specific particles of soil are present for proving nutrients, alternatively Hydroponics or aeroponics is also used for nutrient supply to the plant.
BENEFITS OF SPACE FARMING For analyzing how to plant grown in micro gravity environment. Plants might benefited to better weather durability. Trees with less-sturdy cell walls grows faster and be easier and cheaper to process into paper. Genetically Engineered crop grown without any risk cross breeding with wild variety. Less chance of contaminations CHALLENGES Less gravity, Artificial lightning,Varying rooting material, Contaminants, Limited available space FUTURE The human colonization on Mars and other planets is possible by the use of space farming technology. In future By u gene manipulation technique produces plant that are suited to the space environment without any life support system . Genetically adaptation is easily shown in microgravity environment that shows sustainable farming and also. This branch of science opens tremendous opportunities of research in area space agriculture and genetic engineering. CONCLUSION Space farming has a bright future that grown variety of crop in space using CELSS. Under CELSS control environment is present and by use of this crew member obtain their food in space because transportation of food from earth is very expensive and also frozen foods are not good for health. Space farming either done on spacecrafts or space stations or planetary surfaces which supports the human colonization in space.
REFERENCES https://science.howstuffworks.com/space-farming2.htm, R Bonsi, C.K., P.A. Loretan, W.A. Hill, and D.G. Mortley, Response of sweetpotatoes to continuous light.HotScience, 27, 471, 1992., FARMING IN SPACE: ENVIRONMENTAL AND BIOPHYSICALCONCERNS O. Monje 1, G. W. Stutte l, G. D. Goins ~, D. M. Porterfield 2'3 and G. E. Bingham 31Dynamac Corporation, Kennedy Space Center, FL 32780, USA:Department of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri-Rolla, MO, USA3Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Missouri-Rolla, MO, USA4Plants, Soils & Biometeorology Dept., Utah State University, Logan, UT84321, USA, https://www.nasa.gov/content/growing-plants-in-space, A review of recent activities in the NASA CELSS programArticle in Advances in Space Research • February 1987DOI: 10.1016/0273-1177(87)90032-9 •