Browsing by Author "Moffatt, Samuel"

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Astro Garden® “Salad Diet" Scale Ground Prototype Assembly and Plant Growth Testing
(51st International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2022-07-10) Moffatt, Samuel; Morrow, Robert; Wetzel, John; Klopotic, Joseph
The Astro Garden aeroponic plant-growth system ground prototype was developed as a spacecraft analog to produce sufficient planting capability in support of the requirements for a "salad diet" as outlined by the Baseline Values and Assumptions Document (BVAD). The Astro Garden prototype was designed to operate with mostly gravity-independent systems, and an overall planting volume sufficient to meet the salad-diet production requirements. Astro Garden provides unique plant-growth capabilities in comparison to current spaceflight systems. Through aeroponic nutrient delivery, Astro Garden is capable of producing: potatoes, carrots, radishes, and other root vegetables. Initial testing in Astro Garden was performed with heritage spaceflight plants to provide a basis for the system performance in comparison to systems like Veggie. This paper documents the initial Astro Garden system build and a sample of plant-growth test results.
The Roles of Plants in a Commercial Space Habitat
(2023 International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2023-07-16) Morrow, Robert; Wetzel, John; Moffatt, Samuel; Bair, Matthew; Kelsey, Laura
As "Commercial Space" becomes established, the need to generate additional revenue as a commercial entity may significantly expand the role of plants in long duration space missions. Salad crop production has been considered for inclusion in habitats such as space stations and Mars transit habitats to provide nutrient supplementation, increase diet variety and food acceptability, and provide a source of crew recreation. However, new habitat concepts, such as Orbital Reef, would have an increased emphasis on meeting commercial goals that may include space tourism, research, exploration, a remote supply depot, an industry base (including biomanufacturing), and site for consumer productions including entertainment, media, and advertising. Tourism, for example, may require high-level hospitality for adventure tourists who represent a source of significant revenue to such commercially financed stations. Providing a high-end guest experience in any setting includes, among other things, elevated dining experiences and enhanced accommodations. Fresh salad crops can enhance even high-quality prepacked food by providing more complex tastes and improved presentation. Candidate plants beyond general salad crops studied to-date would be selected to achieve a broader array of characteristics such as increased flavors (herbs), sweetness, spiciness (peppers, radishes), textures (mouthfeel) and aromas, and vibrant colors (garnishes). Plants can also improve "quality of life" by making accommodations more pleasant through incorporation of live plant stands into social interaction volumes (lounges, dining areas). Even small non-edible plantings for aesthetic reasons might be feasible. Growing edible and ornamental plants in space presents technical challenges including development of efficient microgravity subsystem technologies, containment of plant debris and microbial contamination, maintenance of system cleanliness, and food safety. Aesthetic improvements for a crop production system can be accommodated without impacting functional performance, and might include modified culture subsystems for specific aesthetics, modified housings for plant visibility, and improved noise reduction.