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Adv Space Res

Title:		NASA's Biomass Production Chamber: a testbed for bioregenerative life support studies
Author(s):		Wheeler RM; Mackowiak CL; Stutte GW; Sager JC; Yorio NC; Ruffe LM; Fortson RE; Dreschel TW; Knott WM; Corey KA;
Address:		"Biomedical Operations and Research Office, Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899, USA"
Journal Title:		Adv Space Res
Year:		1996
Volume:		18
Issue:		4-May
Page Number:		215 - 224
DOI:		10.1016/0273-1177(95)00880-n
ISSN/ISBN:		0273-1177 (Print) 0273-1177 (Linking)
Abstract:		"The Biomass Production Chamber (BPC) located at Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA provides a large (20 m2 area, 113 m3 vol.), closed environment for crop growth tests for NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) program. Since the summer of 1988, the chamber has operated on a near-continuous basis (over 1200 days) without any major failures (excluding temporary power losses). During this time, five crops of wheat (64-86 days each), three crops of soybean (90 to 97 days), five crops of lettuce (28-30 days), and four crops of potato (90 to 105 days were grown, producing 481 kg of dry plant biomass, 196 kg edible biomass, 540 kg of oxygen, 94,700 kg of condensed water, and fixing 739 kg of carbon dioxide. Results indicate that total biomass yields were close to expected values for the given light input, but edible biomass yields and harvest indices were slightly lower than expected. Stand photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration, and nutrient uptake rates were monitored throughout growth and development of the different crops, along with the build-up of ethylene and other volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere. Data were also gathered on system hardware maintenance and repair, as well as person-hours required for chamber operation. Future tests will include long-term crop production studies, tests in which nutrients from waste treatment systems will be used to grow new crops, and multi-species tests"
Keywords:		"*Biomass Carbon Dioxide/metabolism *Ecological Systems, Closed Environment, Controlled Hydroponics Lettuce/*growth & development Life Support Systems Light Photons Photosynthesis/radiation effects Plant Transpiration/physiology Solanum tuberosum/*growth &;"
Notes:		"MedlineWheeler, R M Mackowiak, C L Stutte, G W Sager, J C Yorio, N C Ruffe, L M Fortson, R E Dreschel, T W Knott, W M Corey, K A eng England 1996/01/01 Adv Space Res. 1996; 18(4-5):215-24. doi: 10.1016/0273-1177(95)00880-n"