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At least 451 records · Page 25

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NASA NTRS2018

Hydroponics for Food Production in Space: History and Current Efforts

Goals of Food Production in Space: NASA Human Research Program (HRP) near-term food production systems - supplement key nutrients (Vitamins B1,C, K and potassium) that degrade to inadequate levels on exploration class missions; Study behavioral health aspect - caring for plants and improving the acceptability of the astronaut diet by supplementing it with fresh produce (currently anecdotal); Develop sustainable water delivery technologies - current TRL (Technological Readiness Level) 9 particulate based systems (i.e. used in research conducted in plant growth facilities APH (Advanced Plant Habitat), Veggie, BPS (Biomass Production System), LADA/SVET (Russian space plant chamber systems)) require resupply of bulky consumables and generate waste media.

Dreschel, T.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Superoxide Dismutase Protects Osteoprogenitors from Irradiation with Low-LET but Not High-LET Species

Ionizing radiation-induced bone loss appears to be a two-stage process: first an early increase in pro-resorption cytokines and increased bone resorption by osteoclasts, followed by a decrease in bone formation by osteoblasts. This results in a net loss of mass in mineralized bone tissue. The molecular mechanisms underlying the imbalance in bone remodeling caused by exposure to radiation are not fully understood. We hypothesized that the radiation-induced rise in reactive oxygen species (ROS) damages osteoblast progenitors, leading to a decrease in number and activity of differentiated progeny. We have shown that a diet high in antioxidant capacity prevents radiation-induced bone loss in adult mice (Schreurs et al. 2016) by reducing the early increase in pro-resotption cytokines. Here, we investigated the damaging effects of radiation exposure on cells in the osteoblast lineage, testing if addition of the exogenous antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD) can mitigate radiation damage. Osteoprogenitors were grown in vitro from the marrow of 16-week-old, male C57Bl6 mice. Cells were irradiated 3 days after plating (day 0) with either gamma (137Cs, 0.1-5Gy) or iron (56Fe, 600 MeVn, 0.5-2Gy), and then grown until day 10. SOD or vehicle was added 2 hours before irradiation (SOD at 200Uml), twice a day and up to day 5, for a total of 2 days treatment. Cell behavior was assessed by: (a) colony number (counted on day 7), (b) DNA content (surrogate for cell number) to assess cell growth (percent change between day 3 and day 10) and (c) alkaline phosphatase activity (osteoblast differentiation marker). Results show that SOD protected cells from the adverse effects of low-LET(Linear Energy Transfer) ionizing radiation, but not high-LET radiation. These novel results provide an interesting platform to explore further diverse effects and damages caused by low-LET and high-LET, pointing toward different mechanisms and possible intervention strategies for radiation-induced bone loss.

osteoblasts↗

NASA NTRS2018

The Turbolift: Linear Sled Hybrid Artificial Gravity Concept

Future crewed space exploration missions into deep space will require enhanced countermeasure technologies to ensure astronaut health. One such hazard is extended exposure to reduced gravity levels (i.e., microgravity, lunar gravity, or Martian gravity). Reduced gravity negatively impacts many physiological systems, leading to hydrostatic intolerance, musculoskeletal atrophy, sensorimotor impairment, bone demineralization, cardiovascular deconditioning, and visual alterations. Various countermeasures have been employed for mitigating these effects, such as exercise, pharmaceuticals, diet, and fluid loading. However, these approaches treat individual symptoms, such that each physiological system is addressed with typically one countermeasure. An alternative to this approach is artificial gravity (AG), which promises to be a holistic, comprehensive countermeasure. The traditional approach to creating AG is through centrifugation. However, centrifugation is not a "pure" form of AG and typically includes the drawbacks of Coriolis forces, gravity gradients, and vestibular cross-coupled illusions.As an alternative, we have proposed a Linear Sled Hybrid (LSH) AG system to mitigate astronauts' physiological deconditioning. This system functions by applying pure linear acceleration to produce footward loading. There is a half rotation (180_) to reorient the rider between acceleration and deceleration phases, such that the loading remains footward, as when standing on Earth. The rotation also provides some footward acceleration to the lower body through centripetal acceleration; hence the "hybrid" aspect of the design. At the end of the deceleration, the rider than accelerates back in the opposite direction and the sequence repeats.This proposed system could be integrated with future crewed space vehicles in a variety of manners.

Gruber, Jason↗

NASA NTRS2019

Survival of E. Coli in the Rhizosphere and Phyllosphere of Leafy Greens Grown in Controlled Environment Chambers Under International Space Station Conditions

NASA's mission for manned long- duration space exploration drives the research for crop selection to provide a nutritious and safe supplement to an astronaut's diet. Understanding plant growth, health, and the associated microbial communities in closed environments will be critical to the success of this mission. Cultivation of crops in closed controlled environment agricultural systems may limit microbial colonization and reduce diversity of the microbial communities. Furthermore, practices like seed and growth medium sanitization may impact microbial communities in the mature plant and the capacity to limit the growth of food borne pathogens through competition.

Hummerick, Mary E.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Plant Water Management (PWM) Experiment

Plant Water Management is a technology demonstration of recent advances in micro-g capillary fluidics research applied to plant growth systems. It has applications in long-term food production systems for missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as the immediate need for ISS food supplements to the crew diet. PWM will demonstrate the low-gravity role of surface tension, wetting, and system geometry to effectively replace the role of gravity in certain terrestrial plant growth systems.

Hatch, Tyler↗

NASA NTRS2019

Sustained Veggie: A Preliminary Look at Continuous On-Orbit Food Production

The Veggie system on the International Space Station (ISS) intermittently supplements the crew diet with fresh, leafy green crops. For 120 days, Sustained Veggie assessed the potential of continuous on-orbit crop production. Crops grown in Veggie have been grown concurrently, but Sustained Veggie staggered plant initiation and harvest to provide more constantly available produce. The objective of this preliminary study was to compare two growth schemes to determine the methodology for required inputs, optimal yield, food safety, and crew considerations.

Bunchek, Jess M.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Plant Microbiomes May Provide Vital Information to Plant Success

Plant associated microbiomes, the rhizosphere and phyllosphere, are composed of communities of bacteria and fungi that may be mutualistic or pathogenic. These communities have the potential to influence plant health and development and can affect plant growth. Crop plants are being investigated as a fresh and safe supplement to astronauts’ diet and it is critical to understand and characterize these microbial communities. Multi-species crops, Mizuna mustard (Brassica rapa var japonica), ‘Outredgeous’ red romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa), and Waldman’s Green lettuce (Lactuca sativa) were grown in two Veggie units on the International Space Station (ISS) for three grow outs in various combinations of plant types. Upon harvest, plant and pillow samples were frozen and returned to Earth for analysis. Bacterial and fungal community analyses for plant leaf and root, as well as pillow components, wick and media, were completed using next generation sequencing with the goal of surveying the composition of the entire community and identifying any potential pathogens. Bacteria were identified using the 16S rRNA gene whereas, fungi were identified with the internal transcribed spacer (ITS). The community composition for these three crops was compared between crop types and between plant tissue types. It is vital to mission success for the short term and long term to add nutritious, safe to eat vegetables providing a supplement to the crew members’ dietary requirements as well as to develop planning for deep space missions as we reach for the moon and on to Mars. Veggie technology validation tests were supported by NASA’s Space Biology Program.

Khodadad, Christina L.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Early Prototype Development of the Passive Orbital Nutrient Delivery System (PONDS)

Long-duration space missions will eventually require a fresh food supply to supplement crew diets, which means growing crops in space. The Passive Orbital Nutrient Delivery System (PONDS) is a new plant growth approach that contains both an area for a contained substrate and a reservoir for water and/or plant nutrient solutions. Ground studies have shown that the system facilitates both reliable water delivery to seeds for germination (e.g., while avoiding overwatering), and transport of water from the reservoir for improved plant growth while providing nutrients and oxygen to the root zone. In ground prototypes a capillary mat wicking material passively links the water/nutrient solution reservoir to a removable rooting module containing a substrate adapted to support plant growth. Oxygen permeable membranes are incorporated into both the reservoir walls and the rooting modules, bringing in oxygen from outside of the system into the reservoir and then into the rooting modules where the plant roots proliferate. Water is delivered from the reservoir to the substrate contained within the rooting module through the use of wicking material inserted into the plant growth substrate both from the bottom and from the sides of the rooting module. The capillary mat material is intrinsically hydrophilic and continuously wicks water to the substrate throughout the plant growth interval. The system is therefore self-watering in terms of supplying water to the root zone encompassed within the rooting module on demand. At the top, a hydrophilic phenolic foam plug surrounds the wick in the seed insertion zone, and both contains the substrate within the rooting module, and facilitates removal of excess moisture from the capillary mat wick before it can encompass seeds prior to germination. This work is supported by NASA’s Space Life and Physical Sciences and Research Applications Division (SLPSRAD).

Levine, Howard G.↗

NASA NTRS2020

Food Acceptability, Menu Fatigue, and Aversion on ISS Missions

The acceptability of the spaceflight food system has been linked to caloric intake and associated nutritional benefits. The diets of the United States Operating Segment crewmembers during a mission are restricted to 200 processed and prepackaged standard menu items supplemented with personal preference foods. ISS crew members have noted in debriefs that they would prefer more food variety for the length of the missions and they tire of certain foods over six months. It is possible that menu fatigue leads to decreases in acceptability and increased aversion to available foods, potentially contributing to the body mass loss often experienced by ISS crew. However, the impact of repeat food consumption on acceptability within the current spaceflight food system has not yet been systematically investigated. Limited variety and crew preferences within food categories may have more severe physical and behavioral health and performance consequences as mission duration increases. Characterizing the relationship between food acceptability and mission duration will contribute to defining requirements for an acceptable food system that will support crew health and performance on long duration missions.

Douglas, Grace L.↗

NASA NTRS2020

Development of a Photosynthesis Measurement Chamber under Different Airspeeds for Applications in Future Space Crop-Production Facilities

Space crop production systems are being developed to grow fresh produce in-situ to supplement the astronauts’ diet, but the required ventilation rates for crops in different gravity environments remains poorly understood. The reduction or lack of buoyancy-driven convection in reduced gravity environments leads to impaired gas exchange (CO2 absorption, water transpiration and O2 release) at the leaf surface if no extra ventilation is provided, and this could lead to a reduction in biomass production in the long run. To better characterize the influence of different airspeeds on photosynthesis and be able to model this in low gravity, a chamber was designed to interface with a LI-6800 portable photosynthesis system. This paper details the design of this chamber, specifically made to measure whole-plant and small canopy gas exchange at different airspeeds. The fans provide turbulent mixing in the chamber to ensure that it behaves like a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR)and that the residence time distribution (RTD) is the same for any fan speed; the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model of the gas domain (the air in the chamber) hence uses a k-omega turbulence model. An airflow map of the chamber was created using anemometer measurements for the different airspeeds tested, and this was used together with the CFD simulation results to relate the experimentally measured fan outputs to actual airspeeds on top of an artificial plant. Environmental parameters (air temperature, relative humidity, CO2level) are controlled by the LI-6800. This work was funded by NASA Space Biology through the NASA postdoctoral program / USRA.

Lucie Poulet↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Effects of Supplemental Far-Red Light on Leafy Green Crops for Space

The use of plants to provide food and eventual bioregenerative life support has been studied for nearly 50 years. A logical starting point for early missions like the International Space Station (ISS) is to grow leafy greens to supplement the crew’s diet of packaged foods. In an attempt to expand the list of potential crops, NASA conducted ground studies with eight leafy greens: ‘Dragoon’ lettuce, ‘Extra Dwarf’ pak choi, shungiku, ‘Barese’ Swiss chard, ‘Red Russian’ kale, ‘Toscano’ kale, ‘Amara’ mustard, and ‘Outredgeous’ lettuce, which has been used in prior ground and flight tests with the Veggie Plant Chamber. Plants were grown for 28 days under 320μmol m(exp -2)s(exp -1) PPFD from LED lights, 3000 ppm CO2, and 23 C to simulate an environment similar to the Veggie Plant Chamber aboard ISS. Half of the plants were given ~7 μmol m(exp -2)s(exp -1) and the other half, ~23μmol m(exp -2)s(exp -1) of supplemental far-red (735 nm). Supplemental far-red light resulted in increased fresh mass yields for some species but not all. This could be due to the relative small amount of far-red photons even in the supplemental treatment. ‘Extra Dwarf’ pak choi and ‘Dragoon’ lettuce produced the highest yields (70-80 g FM/plant) under both lighting regimes. A more consistent response to supplemental far-red light was increased plant canopy cover and increased shoot heights, which may be a consideration for volume constrained systems in space.

LaShelle E Spencer↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Irrigation System for Microgravity (Candidate): The Passive Porous Tube Nutrient Delivery System (PPTNDS)

In an effort to supplement astronauts’ diets with fresh produce during future long-term space missions, the team at NASA Kennedy Space Center is working on methods to better deliver water and nutrients to plant root zones, with the desire to create a more reliable vegetable production system. Effectively doing this in microgravity has proven to be one of the biggest challenges experienced. Here, we detail the development and testing of the Passive Porous Tube Nutrient Delivery System (PPTNDS).

Jacob Torres↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Space Crop Production

As astronauts venture farther from Earth, and for longer periods, food will become increasingly critical. Crop production can supplement a packaged diet to provide additional nutrients and variety for astronauts. Testing with the Veggie chamber on the International Space Station is allowing us to understand the impacts of gravity and spaceflight on crop growth and nutritional content, and the importance of plants to astronauts living and working away from our blue home planet.

Gioia Donna Massa↗

NASA NTRS2020

Lunar Lettuce Production During Artemis III Mission to the Moon's South Pole

The Artemis Science Plan identified that the infrastructure and resources associated during a human/robotic exploration mission can be used to conduct fundamental lunar science needed to mitigate the risks of human exploration of surface systems (i.e. Mars and the Moon). In particular, studying the response of life to the combination of fractional gravity and deep space radiation of the Moon is needed to mitigate the HEOMD risks to the crew that result from inadequate diets. Essential nutrients and vitamins available to astronauts have been shown to degrade within the stored food system during long duration missions. Other risks to exploration missions were isolation and confinement, distance from the Earth, radiation and partial gravity.

O. Monje↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Veggie on Ice: The Effects of Plant Production on Human Behavioral Health Long-Duration Antarctic Overwintering Missions

Exploration class missions pose an increased risk of adverse crew behavioral health and psychiatric conditions. Identifying and developing effective and efficient countermeasure strategies are necessary to maintain crew health and performance. Previous studies (VEG-04A and VEG-04B) in the Veggie vegetable-production system on the International Space Station have evaluated the behavioral health effects of caring for plants as a potential countermeasure for crew stresses in spaceflight. The presence of plants can augment sensory stimulation (visual, tactile, and olfactory), provide a psychological link to Earth, reduce stress, and increase happiness. However, further research is needed to understand this strategy for longer-duration missions in isolated, confined, extreme (ICE) environments. The Neumayer III Station in Antarctica is one such environment that hosts a small crew for fourteen-month missions, of which eight to nine months are the remote overwintering phase. Neumayer III also features EDEN ISS, a greenhouse facility with 12.5 m2 plant cultivation space that, like Veggie, currently supplements the crew diet with a variety of fresh produce. Up to nine crew members of the 2021 overwintering mission will complete behavioral health surveys that are designed to capture enjoyment and time spent conducting various plant-related activities, sensory stimulation, and active and passive psychological effects of having live plants and available fresh food in an ICE environment. Data will be collected once pre-mission, up to ten times in-mission at monthly increments, and once post-mission. This study aims to quantify the impact of plant care as a countermeasure strategy for human spaceflight and Antarctic exploration missions.

J M Bunchek↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Nutritional and Organoleptic of Solanaceous Crops

Long-duration missions beyond low-Earth orbit will encounter challenges in maintaining adequate nutrition and acceptability in the food system. In situ production of fresh produce can supplement nutrient deficiencies in the prepackaged diet.

L. E. Spencer↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Microgreens Food Safety Evaluation

Microgreens have been recently identified as a new type of pick and eat salad crop that can be utilized in space crop production systems. The majority of traditionally grown leafy green crops can be grown as microgreens, in addition to crops such as legumes (e.g. pea shoots), sunflower, buckwheat, most herbs, and corn, presenting hundreds of microgreen crop options. With a wide variety of flavors, exceptional nutritional density, short growth cycles (7-14 days), and unmatched volume optimization potential, microgreens present as an interesting option for sustainable production of nutritious and flavorful crops in space. The food safety aspects of microgreens have been investigated by USDA in recent years, however, an assessment for crew consumption purposes has not yet been conducted to capture the variety of microgreen cultivar types grown in spaceflight relevant environmental conditions and hardware that could be a part of the astronaut diet. Seed sanitation methods will be developed for each microgreen cultivar to sanitize the seed coat and ensure viable germination and plant growth. Food safety analysis will be performed on 24 different fast-growing cultivars of microgreens by performing aerobic plate counts (APC), fungal counts, and select pathogen screening of edible plant tissue before and after treatment with ProSan sanitizing produce wash. Additional avenues of investigation into microgreens food safety will be undertaken to understand impacts of plant height at time of harvest (able to be manipulated by light spectrum), seed density at time of planting, and role of blue light in food safety metrics of microgreens (n=6-12 microgreen cultivars tested, depending on variable). These findings will be included in the Space Crop Production Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan. This new work is currently postponed due to Covid-19.

M E Hummerick↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Plants in Space, Veggie, and Space Crop Production

Veggie↗