ExHale In Space!

Student engineers from Florida Atlantic University have come up with an ambitious plan to take the science of space farming to the next level. They plan to use Exhale CO2 bags to help grow vegetables and plants in space using CubeSats.

This unique approach to space farming could revolutionise the way astronauts access fresh produce on their long-term space missions. It could also be an asset in the research of sustainable crop production in the future. By utilising ExHale CO2, these engineers are pushing the boundaries of what is possible in space farming, for without supplemental CO2, plants can not survive in space because there is no CO2 in space.

The Problem

Indoor gardening has always been a challenge, but with the space limitations of CubeSats, it is even more difficult. Growing vegetables and plants in space require a lot of resources and are often costprohibitive. The lack of natural light, air, and soil makes it difficult to maintain a garden in the extreme conditions of space.

As a result, astronauts have been limited in their ability to grow fresh vegetables while in orbit. Enter FAU Senior Design Team 8, a group of student engineers who are looking to revolutionise space gardening. They have come up with an innovative solution that uses Exhale Co2 bags to help create the perfect environment for growing vegetables and plants in space.

The Solution

The FAU Senior Design Team 8 have proposed a solution to the challenge of space farming: indoor gardening. By combining the use of Exhale CO2 bags, the team is hoping to create a way for astronauts to grow fresh produce on long-term space missions. The CO2 bags provide an enclosed environment that is optimised for plant growth and helps to regulate temperature, humidity, and nutrients. The CubeSats will provide additional support by taking care of watering and nutrient delivery. This innovative combination of technologies will allow astronauts to sustainably grow their own food in space.

ExHale-In-Space-ExHale-Bag-Cubesat-with-Vegetables

“In partnership with ExHale CO2 and Garden City Fungi, FAU’s CubeSat features their revolutionary technology which utilises solid-state organic emitters to provide botanical experiments with optimal CO2 levels. Passive emission reduces the need for pressurized canisters, which cost mass, volume, and capital: all three of which are in short supply when building nanosatellites.”

https://jpearman2018.wixsite.com/faucubesat/technology

HOW IT WORKS

The Exhale CO2 bags are an innovative way to help create a micro-ecosystem for indoor gardening. The bags are filled with air and soil, and a controlled environment is created with the addition of carbon dioxide (CO2). This helps to produce high-quality, nutritious crops in a small space. The Exhale CO2 bags are placed Into a CubeSat, which is a miniaturised satellite designed for space exploration.

Modularity

ExHale’s flight-packaged bags allow for easy interchangeability within the ECS for Earth-based validation testing.

Filter

ExHale’s microporous filter patch allows for the gaseous interchange of oxygen & carbon dioxide. The filter allows CO2 to exit the bag and also keeps contaminants out.

Plastic

The hardy plastic utilised to make the bags resist puncture, reducing the possibility of contaminating the payload experiment.

Substrate

The activation substrate is a proprietary formula designed to give the CO2-producing mycelium a food source for up to 6 months in orbit.

Mycelium

ExHale’s mycelium is a patented strain of non-fruiting, high-CO2-producing fungi that, when paired with the substrate, provide steady and continuous amounts of CO2 for plant experiments.

The Benefits

The use of Exhale CO2 bags for space farming has numerous benefits that could potentially revolutionise the way we grow food and plants in space. One major benefit of this method is that it allows for indoor gardening, which is an efficient and reliable way to cultivate plants without having to worry about external environmental factors. Indoor gardening provides a closed system in which a higher level of control and accuracy can be attained, making it ideal for growing delicate or fragile plants that may not be able to survive under harsher conditions. As a result, this method has the potential to dramatically reduce the amount of time, effort, and money required to grow food in space.

The Future

The Senior Design Team 8 is looking ahead to see how the technology they are developing could be used to expand indoor gardening. Their research could provide a steppingstone for creating sustainable greenhouses in space and could eventually be used to explore the possibilities of urban farming on other planets. This technology could also be used to explore indoor gardening options in areas that lack the necessary resources or climate for traditional outdoor farming, providing a vital source of fresh produce in those communities. The team hopes that their work will be the first step towards creating a new era of sustainable and productive space farming.

You can find out more information on this project at below.

Finished here? Head back to our blog page to read more news, tips and product spotlights!

0


Easy Grow Ltd | Hydroponic Wholesale
Easy Grow Ltd | Hydroponic Wholesale