Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Food Supply”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 271 records · Page 15
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Sustained Veggie: A Continuous Food Production Comparison

The International Space Station’s Veggie system intermittently supplies the crew with fresh produce. To assess the potential for continuous crop production in Veggie and develop a baseline for future space crop production systems, a 120-day study was conducted to determine methodology for inputs, optimal yield, and crew involvement. ‘Amara’ mustard and ‘Red Russian’ kale were grown as initial crops, followed by ‘Extra Dwarf’ pak choi and shungiku as final crops. Previous grow-outs in Veggie have included harvests at 28-35days after initiation. In this study, a 56-day grow-out with multiple harvests from the same plants was compared to the conventional, single harvest Veggie schedule. Unlike previous Veggie studies which grew all plants simultaneously, this test staggered initiation and harvest, aiming for consistent and increased production. Plant pillows were initiated in pairs weekly and positioned to reduce shading. Completed pillows were immediately replaced with fresh ones. The multi-harvest scheme used fewer pillows, totaling 46% less pillow mass than the single harvest method. Scaled to 56-day increments, yield varied by crop and harvest scheme. ‘Red Russian’ kale yielded similarly across harvest schemes. In the multiple-harvest schedule, ‘Amara’ mustard and shungiku yielded 23% to 25% higher, respectively, while ‘Extra Dwarf’ pak choi had43% lower yield. Microbial analysis of the plants indicated no culturable human pathogens. Microbial load of a given plant appears to depend more on system age than plant age. Across harvest methods, aerobic plate counts from final crops were higher than those of initial crops. This project also considered the complexity of crew involvement in a continuous production scenario. New crew procedures that periodically remove plant material from the Veggie root mat are needed under continuous production to prevent potential pathogens and unpleasant odors. This study supports future space crop production scenarios and was funded by NASA’s Human Research Program.

Jess M Bunchek↗
NASA NTRS2024

Overview of Two Decision-Support Systems for Viticulture

Sustainable water management is one of the most challenging issues of our time, especially in the arid western U.S. Adequate water supplies are crucial to maintaining the health of communities, rivers, and wildlife, and nothing is more important to agriculture’s ability to produce food for the world’s growing population. Maximizing the benefits of our water supplies requires careful measurement of their availability and use. For irrigated agriculture, satellite-based estimates of evapotranspiration (ET) provide a measure of the water used to grow food — the biggest share of water consumption in most arid environments around the world. However, access to ET data has been limited and expensive, keeping it out of the hands of most water users and decision-makers. OpenET provides open, easily accessible satellite-based ET data for water management support. The OpenET collaborative includes leading national and international experts in remote sensing of ET, cloud computing, and water policy, partnered with nationally recognized web development teams and leaders in the western agriculture and water management communities. The system can be accessed at https://openetdata.org/.

Overview↗
NASA NTRS2007

Interactions between Artificial Gravity, Affected Physiological Systems, and Nutrition

Malnutrition, either by insufficient supply of some nutrients or by overfeeding has a profound effect on the health of an organism. Therefore, optimal nutrition is mandatory on Earth (1 g), in microgravity and also when applying artificial gravity to the human system. Immobilization like in microgravity or bed rest also has a profound effect on different physiological systems, like body fluid regulation, the cardiovascular, the musculoskeletal, the immunological system and others. Up to now there is no countermeasure available which is effective to counteract cardiovascular deconditioning (rf. Chapter 5) together with maintenance of the musculoskeletal system in a rather short period of time. Gravity seems therefore to be one of the main stimuli to keep these systems and application of certain duration of artificial gravity per day by centrifugation has often been proposed as a very potential countermeasure against the weakening of the physiological systems. Up to now, neither optimal intensity nor optimal length of application of artificial gravity has been studied sufficiently to recommend a certain, effective and efficient protocol. However, as shown in chapter 5 on cardiovascular system, in chapter 6 on the neuromuscular system and chapter 7 (bone and connective system) artificial gravity has a very high potential to counteract any degradation caused by immobilization. But, nutrient supply -which ideally should match the actual needs- will interact with these changes and therefore has also to be taken into account. It is well known that astronauts beside the Skylab missions- were and are still not optimally nourished during their stay in space (Bourland et al. 2000;Heer et al. 1995;Heer et al. 2000b;Smith et al. 1997;Smith & Lane 1999;Smith et al. 2001;Smith et al. 2005). It has also been described anecdotally that astronauts have lower appetites. One possible explanation could be altered taste and smell sensations during space flight, although in some early space flights no significant changes were found (Heidelbaugh et al. 1968;Watt et al. 1985). However, data from a recent head-down bed rest study showed significant decrease in smell sensation (Enck et al. unpublished data) suggesting that fluid shifts might have an impact. If this holds true and which has to be validated in further studies, this seems to play an important role for lowered food intake causing insufficient energy intake and subsequently insufficient supply of most of the macro- and micronutrients. Other nutrients are taken in excess, for example sodium. As it is very well known from daily food consumption especially premanufactured food with high salt content seems to be more palatable than that with low salt content. Salt also functions as preservation which is very important taking into account the space food system limitations (i.e., lack of refrigerators and freezers). The preference for food with high salt intake by astronauts might therefore very likely be caused by altered smell and taste sensations in microgravity.

Heer, Martina↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Managing spacecraft waste

Waste is a universal problem, on Earth, in spacecraft, and for any closed ecological system. Waste must be processed and is often recycled to recover resources. Many different approaches and technologies are used. Spacecraft waste is derived from the spacecraft logistics supplies, the materials provided for use by the crew. The composition of spacecraft logistics and the resulting waste depend on the mission and its duration and use of recycling. Spacecraft waste is a more serious problem on long duration missions because of the large logistics supplies consumed and the difficulty of storing or disposing of waste. The quantity and composition of waste can vary and may require flexible management. Most missions will produce about two kilograms per crewmember per day of trash, consisting of food waste, plastic, paper, packaging, hygiene wipes and many other supplies used and discarded by the crew. The waste is bulky, messy and difficult to store since the wet waste can decompose and produce odors and an accumulation of pathogenic bacteria. Many different methods have been proposed for managing spacecraft waste.

Harry W Jones↗
NASA NTRS1974

Space shuttle/food system study. Volume 2, Appendix G: Ground support system analysis. Appendix H: Galley functional details analysis

The capabilities for preflight feeding of flight personnel and the supply and control of the space shuttle flight food system were investigated to determine ground support requirements; and the functional details of an onboard food system galley are shown in photographic mockups. The elements which were identified as necessary to the efficient accomplishment of ground support functions include the following: (1) administration; (2) dietetics; (3) analytical laboratories; (4) flight food warehouse; (5) stowage module assembly area; (6) launch site module storage area; (7) alert crew restaurant and disperse crew galleys; (8) ground food warehouse; (9) manufacturing facilities; (10) transport; and (11) computer support. Each element is discussed according to the design criteria of minimum cost, maximum flexibility, reliability, and efficiency consistent with space shuttle requirements. The galley mockup overview illustrates the initial operation configuration, food stowage locations, meal assembly and serving trays, meal preparation configuration, serving, trash management, and the logistics of handling and cleanup equipment.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1999

Nutrition and Foods as Related to Space Flight

U.S. space food development began with highly engineered foods that met rigid requirements imposed by the spacecraft design and short mission durations of the Mercury and Gemini programs. The lack of adequate bathroom facilities and limited food storage capacity promoted the development of low fiber diets to reduce fecal output. As missions lengthened, space food systems evolved, with the most basic design consideration always being the method of water supply. On the Apollo spacecraft, where water was abundant as a byproduct of fuel cell electricity generation, dehydrated food was used extensively. Such food has little advantage when water has to be transported to space to rehydrate it; therefore, more complex food systems were planned for Skylab, which used solar panels rather than fuel cells for electricity generation. The Skylab food system, the most advanced used in space to date, included freezers and refrigerators, increasing the palatability, variety, and nutritional value of the diet. On the Space Shuttle, power and weight constraints precluded the use of freezers, refrigerators, and microwave ovens. The availability of fuel cell by-product water was conducive to a shelf-stable food system with approximately half of the food dehydrated and the remainder made up of thermostabilized, irradiated, and intermediate-moisture foods.

Lane, Helen W.↗
NASA NTRS2011

New Local, National and Regional Cereal Price Indices for Improved Identification of Food Insecurity

Large price increases over a short time period can be indicative of a deteriorating food security situation. Food price indices developed by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are used to monitor food price trends at a global level, but largely reflect supply and demand conditions in export markets. However, reporting by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)'s Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) indicates that staple cereal prices in many markets of the developing world, especially in surplus-producing areas, often have a delayed and variable response to international export market price trends. Here we present new price indices compiled for improved food security monitoring and assessment, and specifically for monitoring conditions of food access across diverse food insecure regions. We found that cereal price indices constructed using market prices within a food insecure region showed significant differences from the international cereals price, and had a variable price dispersion across markets within each marketshed. Using satellite-derived remote sensing information that estimates local production and the FAO Cereals Index as predictors, we were able to forecast movements of the local or national price indices in the remote, arid and semi-arid countries of the 38 countries examined. This work supports the need for improved decision-making about targeted aid and humanitarian relief, by providing earlier early warning of food security crises.

Brown, Molly E.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Trade can buffer climate-induced risks and volatilities in crop supply

Climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of extreme events, posing challenges to food security. Corn, a staple crop for billions, is particularly vulnerable to heat stress, a primary driver of yield variability. While many studies have examined climate impact on average corn yields, little attention has been given to the climate impact on production volatility. This study investigates the future volatility and risks associated with global corn supply under climate change, evaluating the potential benefits of two key adaptation strategies: irrigation and market integration. A statistical model is employed to estimate corn yield response to heat stress and utilize NEX-GDDP-CMIP6 climate data to project future production volatility and risks of substantial yield losses. Three metrics are introduced to quantify these risks: Sigma (σ), the standard deviation of year-on-year yield change, which reflects overall yield volatility; Rho (ρ), the risk of substantial loss, defined as the probability of yield falling below a critical threshold; and Beta (β), a relative risk coefficient that captures the volatility of a region's corn production compared to the globally integrated market. The analysis reveals a concerning trend of increasing year-on-year yield volatility (σ) across most regions and climate models. This volatility increase is significant for key corn-producing regions like Brazil and the United States. While irrigated corn production exhibits a smaller rise in volatility, suggesting irrigation as a potential buffer against climate change impacts, it is not a sustainable option as it can cause groundwater depletion. On the other hand, global market integration reduces overall volatility and market risks significantly with less sustainability concerns. Furthermore, these findings highlight the importance of a multidimensional approach to adaptation in the food sector. While irrigation can benefit individual farmers, promoting global market integration offers a broader solution for fostering resilience and sustainability across the entire food system.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗
NASA NTRS1979

Food system galley for Space Shuttle

The Galley, a 42 man-day meal preparation facility (with flexibility to accomodate 210 man-days) is described. The facility is designed for minimum meal preparation and clean-up time in zero g and ease of servicing, maintenance, and removal in one gravity. The Galley provides a centralized location for performing all of the food-related functions (except dining) within the orbiter. Consideration is given to the oven-water heater, personal hygiene station, water dispensers, and water supply subsystem. The Galley is positioned in the orbiting mid deck, interfacing with rehydratable food packages and the waste collector subsystem.

Murray, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Crew Exploration Vehicle Potable Water System Verification Description

A stored water system on the crew exploration vehicle (CEV) will supply the crew with potable water for: drinking and food rehydration, hygiene, medical needs, sublimation, and various contingency situations. The current baseline biocide for the stored water system is ionic silver, similar in composition to the biocide used to maintain the quality of the water, transferred from the orbiter to the International Space Station, stored in contingency water containers. In the CEV water system, a depletion of the ionic silver biocide is expected due to ionic silver-plating onto the surfaces of materials within the CEV water system, thus negating its effectiveness as a biocide. Because this may be the first time NASA is considering a stored water system for long-term missions that do not maintain a residual biocide, a team of experts in materials compatibility, biofilms and point-of-use filters, surface treatment and coatings, and biocides has been created to pinpoint concerns and perform the testing that will help alleviate concerns related to the CEV water system.

Tuan, George↗
NASA NTRS2010

Airborne Dust, "The Good Guy or the Bad Guy": How Much do We Know?

Processes in generating, transporting, and dissipating the airborne dust particles are global phenomena -African dust regularly reaching the Alps; Asian dust seasonally crossing the Pacific into North America, and ultimately the Atlantic into Europe. One of the vital biogeochemical roles dust storms play in Earth's ecosystem is routinely mobilizing mineral dust, as a source of iron, from deserts into oceans for fertilizing the growth of phytoplankton -the basis of the oceanic food chain. Similarly, these dust-laden airs also supply crucial nutrients for the soil of tropical rain forests, the so-called womb of life that hosts 50-90% of the species on Earth. With massive amounts of dust lifted from desert regions and injected into the atmosphere, however, these dust storms often affect daily activities in dramatic ways: pushing grit through windows and doors, forcing people to stay indoors, causing breathing problems, reducing visibility and delaying flights, and by and large creating chaos. Thus, both increasing and decreasing concentrations of doses result in harmful biological effects; so do the airborne dust particles to our Living Earth. Since 1997 NASA has been successfully launching a series of satellites - the Earth Observing System - to intensively study, and gain a better understanding of, the Earth as an integrated system. Through participation in many satellite remote-sensing/retrieval and validation projects over the years, we have gradually developed and refined the SMART (Surface-sensing Measurements for Atmospheric Radiative Transfer) and COMMIT (Chemical, Optical & Microphysical Measurements of In-situ Troposphere) mobile observatories, a suite of surface remote sensing and in-situ instruments that proved to be vital in providing high temporal measurements, which complement the satellite observations. In this talk, we will present SMART-COMMIT which has played key roles, serving as network or supersite, in major international research projects such as the Joint Aerosol Monsoon Experiment (JAMEX), a core element of the Asian Monsoon Years (AMY, 2008-2012). SMART-COMMIT deployments during 2008 AMY/JAMEX were conducted in northwestern China to characterize the properties of dust-laden aerosols. In 2009, SMART-COMMIT also participated in the JAMEX/RAJO-MEGHA (Radiation, Aerosol Joint Observations-Monsoon Experiment in the Gangetic-Himalayan Area; Sanskrit for Dust-Cloud) to study the aerosol properties, solar absorption and the associated atmospheric warming, and the climatic impact of elevated aerosols during the premonsoon season in South Asia. To fully characterize the properties of airborne dust in the field is an important but challenging task. In this seminar, we will present our recent measurements and retrievals of airborne dust properties.

Tsay, Si-Chee↗
NASA NTRS1988

Food-Growing, Air- And Water-Cleaning Module

Apparatus produces fresh vegetables and removes pollutants from air. Hydroponic apparatus performs dual function of growing fresh vegetables and purifying air and water. Leafy vegetables rooted in granular growth medium grow in light of fluorescent lamps. Air flowing over leaves supplies carbon dioxide and receives fresh oxygen from them. Adaptable to production of food and cleaning of air and water in closed environments as in underwater research stations and submarines.

Sauer, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Analysis of an algae-based CELSS. II - Options and weight analysis

Life support components are evaluated for application to an idealized closed life support system which includes an algal reactor for food production. Weight-based trade studies are reported as 'break-even' time for replacing food stores with a regenerative bioreactor. It is concluded that closure of the life support gases (oxygen recovery) depends on the carbon dioxide reduction chemistry and that an algae-based food production can provide an attractive alternative to re-supply for longer duration missions.

Holtzapple, Mark T.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Analysis of an algae-based CELSS. Part 2: options and weight analysis

Life support components are evaluated for application to an idealized closed life support system which includes an algal reactor for food production. Weight-based trade studies are reported as "break-even" time for replacing food stores with a regenerative bioreactor. It is concluded that closure of the life support gases (oxygen recovery) depends on the carbon dioxide reduction chemistry and that an algae-based food production can provide an attractive alternative to re-supply for longer duration missions.

Bioreactors↗
NASA NTRS2006

Cryogenic Cooling for Myriad Applications-A STAR Is Born

Cryogenics, the science of generating extremely low temperatures, has wide applicability throughout NASA. The Agency employs cryogenics for rocket propulsion, high-pressure gas supply, breathable air in space, life support equipment, electricity, water, food preservation and packaging, medicine, imaging devices, and electronics. Cryogenic liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen systems are also replacing solid rocket motor propulsion systems in most of the proposed launch systems, a reversion to old-style liquid propellants. In the late 1980s, NASA wanted a compact linear alternator/motor with reduced size and mass, as well as high efficiency, that had unlimited service life for use in a thermally driven power generator for space power applications. Prior development work with free-piston Stirling converters (a Stirling engine integrated with a linear actuator that produces electrical power output) had shown the promise of that technology for high-power space applications. A dual use for terrestrial applications exists for compact Stirling converters for onsite combined heat and power units. The Stirling cycle is also usable in reverse as a refrigeration cycle suitable for cryogenic cooling, so this Stirling converter work promised double benefits as well as dual uses. The uses for cryogenic coolers within NASA abound; commercial applications are similarly wide-ranging, from cooling liquid oxygen and nitrogen, to cryobiology and bio-storage, cryosurgery, instrument and detector cooling, semiconductor manufacturing, and support service for cooled superconducting power systems.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2019

Astronaut Mass Balance for Long Duration Missions

Human spaceflight logistics requirements are strongly driven by the daily living needs of the astronauts, including their biological functions. Oxygen, water and food are absolute requirements to sustain life and must be supplied at adequate rates. However, these rates can vary from day to day and from person to person. Beyond the body's immediate physical needs, water is also required for important health and hygiene functions within the spacecraft. Undesirable weight loss or gain aside, human waste product mass outputs will equal the inputs over time, resulting in an average astronaut mass balance. Best values, as well as range of variability for inputs and outputs are explored at both the individual physiological level and the spacecraft level. These values are important for design of life support and habitability systems as well as for mission planning of consumables. Current spacecraft life support systems are not fully closed loop, but the International Space Station (ISS) does recycle most of its air and water. The astronaut mass balances at the personal and vehicle level can have different impacts at different levels of system closure. Recommendations are made for a consistent set of values representing a realistic average astronaut mass balance over reasonable durations for exploration missions.

Ewert, Michael K.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Meals for the Elderly

NASA is drawing upon its food-preparation expertise to assist in solving a problem affecting a large segment of the American population. In preparation for manned space flight programs, NASA became experienced in providing astronauts simple, easily-prepared, nutritious meals. That experience now is being transferred to the public sector in a cooperative project managed by Johnson Space Center. Called Meal System for the Elderly, the project seeks to fill a gap by supplying nutritionally balanced meal packages to those who are unable to participate in existing meal programs. Many such programs are conducted by federal, state and private organizations, including congregate hot meal services and home-delivered "meals on wheels." But more than 3.5 million elderly Americans are unable to take advantage of these benefits. In some cases, they live in rural areas away from available services; in others, they are handicapped, temporarily ill, or homebound for other reasons. Meal System for the Elderly, a cooperative program in which the food-preparation expertise NASA acquired in manned space projects is being utilized to improve the nutritional status of elderly people. The program seeks to fill a gap by supplying nutritionally-balanced food packages to the elderly who are unable to participate b existing meal service programs.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1986

The development of an unconventional food regeneration process: Quantifying the nutritional components of a model methylotrophic yeast

A hybrid chemical/biological approach to unconventional food regeneration is discussed. Carbon dioxide and water, the major wastes of human metabolism would be converted to methanol by one of several physiochemical processes available (thermal, photocatalytic, etc.). Methanol is then used to supply carbon and energy for the culture of microorganisms which in turn produce biological useful basic food stuffs for human nutrition. Our work has focused on increasing the carbohydrate levels of a candidate methylotrophic yeast to more nearly coincide with human nutritional requirements. Yeasts were chosen due to their high carbohydrate levels compared to bacteria and their present familiarity in the human diet. The initial candidate yeast studied was a thermotolerant strain of Hansenula polymor pha, DL-1. The quantitative results that permit an evaluation of the overall efficiency in hybrid chemical/biological food production schemes are discussed. A preliminary evaluation of the overall efficiency of such schemes is also discussed.

Petersen, G. R.↗