Feed-Back Moisture Sensor Control for the Delivery of Water to Plants Cultivated in SpaceThe development of a spaceflight-rated Porous Tube Insert Module (PTIM) nutrient delivery tray has facilitated a series of studies evaluating various aspects of water and nutrient delivery to plants as they would be cultivated in space. We report here on our first experiment using the PTIM with a software-driven feedback moisture sensor control strategy for maintaining root zone wetness level set-points. One-day-old wheat seedlings (Tritium aestivum cv Apogee; N=15) were inserted into each of three Substrate Compartments (SCs) pre-packed with 0.25-1 . mm Profile(TradeMark) substrate and maintained at root zone relative water content levels of 70, 80 and 90%. The SCs contained a bottom-situated porous tube around which a capillary mat was wrapped. Three Porous Tubes. were planted using similar protocols (but without the substrate) and also maintained at these three moisture level set-points. Half-strength modified Hoagland's nutrient solution was used to supply water and nutrients. Results on hardware performance, water usage rates and wheat developmental differences between the different experimental treatments are presented.
Document ID
20110024192
Acquisition Source
Kennedy Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Levine, Howard G. (NASA Kennedy Space Center Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Prenger, Jessica J. (Dynamac Corp. Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Rouzan, Donna T. (Dynamac Corp. Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Spinale, April C. (Bionetics Corp. Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Murdoch, Trevor (Bionetics Corp. Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Burtness, Kevin A. (Bionetics Corp. Cocoa Beach, FL, United States)
Date Acquired
August 25, 2013
Publication Date
July 10, 2005
Subject Category
Space Sciences (General)
Report/Patent Number
2005-01-2952KSC-2005-076
Meeting Information
Meeting: 35th International Conference on Environmental Systems