NASA TM 8821 5 January 1986 Natlonal Aeronautics and Space Admlnlstratlon Papers from a ...

618 Pages·2008·22.05 MB·English

NASA TM 8821 5
January 1986
Papers from a workshop held at
the NASA Ames Research Center
Moffett Field, California
Natlonal Aeronautics and
Space Admlnlstratlon July16- 19, 1985
NASA TM 88215
Controlled Ecological Life Support
Systems: CELSS '85 Workshop
Edited by:
Robert D. MacElroy, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
Norman V. Martello, Johnson Engineering, Palo Alto, California
David T. Smernoff, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire
January 1986
Natlonal Aeronautics and Papers from a workshop held at
Space Adrn~nlstrat~on the NASA Arnes Research Center
Ames Research Center Moffett Field, California
Moffett Fleld, Cal~forn~9a40 35
July 16-19, 1985
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FOREWORD
This volume contains the scientific and technical papers presented at the Workshop on
Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems. CELSS '85. Formal presentations occurred at
the annual meeting of the lntersociety Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES) in San
Francisco on July 17. 1985. and at NASA-Ames Research Center on July 18-19. 1985. The
presentations at NASA-Ames were made in four topical sessions, which generally cover the
diverse research areas necessary to achieve an operational CELSS. The Workshop sessions
included: Plant Growth Chambers. Whole System Recycling and Control. Microbial Systems.
and Plant Physiology.
The purpose of CELSS is to improve the environment for, and reduce the cost of, long-term
human habitation in space. The intention in developing this Workshop was to bring together
interested scientists and engineers, including those representing national space agencies other
than NASA. to discuss the research and development of the technologies required for a CELSS.
We eagerly welcomed the participation of the assembled scientists, engineers and visitors in
this Workshop to share with us the excitement of planning for the future permanent presence
of humans in space.
Robert D. MacElroy
Ames CELSS Program Manager
Planetary Biology Branch
NASA-Ames Research Center
:z ,
iii
WELCOME
William F. Ballhaus. Jr.
Director. NASA-Ames Research Center
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the CELSS '85 meeting on behalf of Ames Research
Center. Ames is known primarily for its work in aeronautics, however about one-third of our
effort is in space and life sciences. Even though the skyline of Ames is dominated by the
aeronautics facilities, there is a tremendous amount of good space and life science research
coming out of our laboratories. We also cooperate with a number of universities, with industry.
and with other countries in our scientific research.
I would like to remind you of some of the things we have done in the past. The Pioneer
series of spacecraft were all managed out of the Ames Research Center, and in fact Pioneer 6
is still the oldest operating U.S. spacecraft. 20-years-old this year, and it is still returning data.
Pioneer 10 was the first man-made object to leave the known solar system. More significantly
it was the first spacecraft to Jupiter. Pioneer 11 was the first spacecraft to Saturn and is
now travelling out of the solar system in the opposite direction from Pioneer 10. Pioneer
Venus is still taking data in orbit around the planet Venus, and will be used early next year for
the Comet Halley studies. Other space science projects include the Galileo Probe, which was
managed from Ames and just recently delivered to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The probe
will be launched next year for an encounter with the Jovian atmosphere late in 1988. The
Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) Telescope development was also managed by Ames
Research Center.
In the area of aeronautics design and testing, we have the most complete set of wind
tunnels and arc jets in the country as well as an extensive complement of flight simulators
for both research and development. Ames has one of the most powerful computer facilities in
the world with the Cyber 205 and two Cray XMP's. This autumn we plan to take delivery of
the first large-memory Cray 2.
Today's symposium focuses on cooperation in biological science research. Since NASA's
beginnings. Ames has been the primary center for basic research to study physiology. biotech-
nology, ecology and evolution of life. We believe there is a tremendous opportunity for in-
ternational cooperation in that arena. CELSS is a long-term NASA effort, of course. The
long-term goal is a sustained presence of humans in space, and the development of new life
support systems will happen before this goal becomes a reality. But on the road to that
objective there are many importantsscientific questions to be answered. For example, how
is plant growth affected by different environments: how is long-term stability maintained in
life support systems that have biological components: and how productive can organisms be
under ideal, controlled circumstances? All very interesting, key questions in the establishment
of a CELSS. You have my best wishes for a productive and entertaining meeting.
CONTENTS
FOREWORD
...
............................................................
R. D. MacElroy
..ill
WELCOME
..........................................................
W. F. Ballhaus. Jr. .v
....................................................................
INTRODUCTION .I
Session I
SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION IN BIOLOGICAL SPACE RESEARCH
............................................................
SYMPOSIUM SUMMARY 5
Session II
INTERNATIONAL CELSS
....................................................................
INTRODUCTION 11
POTENTIAL FOR THE UTILIZATION OF ALGAL BIOMASS FOR COMPONENTS
OF THE DIET IN CELSS
.....................................
A. R. Kamerei. Z. Nakhost and M. Karel 13
BLSS. A EUROPEAN APPROACH TO CELSS
a. ..........................................................
lngernar Skoog -23
CELSS EXPERIMENT MODEL AND DESIGN CONCEPT OF GAS RECYCLE SYSTEM
..........................................
K. Nitta. M. Oguchi and S. Kanda 35
UTILIZATION OF MEMBRANES FOR AN H20 RECYCLE SYSTEM
....................................................
H. Ohya and M. Oguchi .47
THE C23A SYSTEM, AN EXAMPLE OF QUANTITATIVE CONTROL OF PLANT
GROWTH ASSOCIATED WITH A DATA BASE
.......................
M. AndrB. A. Daguenet. D. Massimino and A. Gerbaud 55
DESCRIPTION OF CONCEPT AND FIRST FEASIBILITY TEST RESULTS OF A
LIFE SUPPORT SUBSYSTEM OF THE BOTANY FACILITY BASED ON
WATER RECLAMATION
................................................................
H. R. Loser .65
WET-OXIDATION WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR CELSS
..................................................
Y. Takahashi and H. Ohya .77
vii
SIMULATION MODEL FOR PLANT GROWTH IN CONTROLLED
ENVIRONMENT SYSTEMS
..............................................
C. D. Raper, Jr. and M. Wann .85
1
Session Ill
CELSS INVESTlGATORS MEETING
OPENING REMARKS
..................................................................
S. Chang 105
I PLANT GROWTH CHAMBERS
PLAN FOR CELSS TEST BED PROJECT
..............................................................
W. M. Knott 109
PLANT GROWTH CHAMBER 'M' DESIGN
........................................
R. P. Prince and W. M. Knott 119
OPERATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL PLANT GROWTH SYSTEMS
.............................
H. W. Scheld. J. W. Magnuson and R. L. Sauer 129
ELECTROCHEMICAL CONTROL OF pH IN A HYDROPONIC NUTRIENT SOLUTION
........................................................
S. H. Schwartzkopf 151
AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS OF A CLOSED CYCLE PLANT GROWTH MODULE
.......................
G. H. Stickford, Jr.. F. E. Jakob and D. K. Landstrom 159
WHOLE SYSTEM RECYCLING AND CONTROL
GAS AND WATER RECYCLING SYSTEM FOR IOC (SPACE STATION
1NlTlAL OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY) VlVARl UM EXPERIMENTS
....................................................
K. Nitta and K. Otsubo 185
WATER RECYCLING SYSTEM USING THERMOPERVAPORATION METHOD
....................
K. Nitta, A. Ashida. K. Mitani, K. Ebara and A. Yarnada .201
SUPERCRITICAL WASTE OXIDATION OF AQUEOUS WASTES
................................................................
M. Modell .227
AIRBORNE TRACE CONTAMINANTS OF POSSIBLE INTEREST IN CELSS
.............................................................
J. S. Garavelli 253
viii - .
OBSERVATIONS ON GAS EXCHANGE AND ELEMENT RECYCLE WITHIN A
GAS-CLOSED ALGAL-MOUSE SYSTEM
.....................
D. T. Smernoff. R. A. Wharton. Jr. and M. M. Averner .263
CELSS SCIENCE NEEDS
.............................................................
J. D. Rurnmel 281
MICROBIAL SYSTEMS
DESIGN CONCEPTS FOR BIOREACTORS IN SPACE
P. K. Seshan. G. R. Petersen. B. Beard and E. H. Dunlop ....................2 87
AN ANALYSIS OF THE PRODUCTIVITY OF A CELSS CONTINUOUS ALGAL
CULTURE SYSTEM
...........................
R. Radrner. P. Behrens, E. Fernadez and K. Arnett 315
THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN UNCONVENTIONAL FOOD REGENERATION PROCESS:
QUANTIFYING THE NUTRITIONAL COMPONENTS OF A MODEL
METHYLOTROPHIC YEAST
...........................................
G. R. Petersen and B. 0. Stokes .329
APPLICATION OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC NITROGEN-FIXING CYANOBACTERIA
TO THE CELSS PROGRAM
.............................................
L. Packer, I. Fry and S. Belkin .339
CARBON DIOXIDE EVOLUTION RATE AS A METHOD TO MONITOR AND
CONTROL AN AEROBIC BIOLOGICAL WASTE TREATMENT SYSTEM
................................................
S. S. Lee and M. L. Shuler .354
I
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
I
CAN PLANTS GROW IN QUASI-VACUUM?
.................................................
M. AndrB and Ch. Richaud 395
WHEAT RESPONSE TO CARON DIOXIDE ENRICHMENT: CARBON DIOXIDE
EXCHANGES, TRANSPIRATION AND MINERAL UPTAKE
....................................
M. AndrB. H. Du Cloux and Ch. Richaud 405
EFFECTS OF NO,. N H A~ND UREA ON EACH OTHER'S UPTAKE
AND INCORPORATION
............................................
R. C. Huffaker and M. R. Ward .429
STUDIES ON MAXIMUM YIELD OF WHEAT FOR THE CONTROLLED
ENVIRONMENTS OF SPACE
..........................................
B. G. Bugbee and F. B. Salisbury .447
UTILIZATION OF POTATOES IN CELSS: PRODUCTION AND GROWING SYSTEMS
............................................................
T. W. Tibbitts .487
OPTIMIZATION OF CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENTS FOR HYDROPONIC
PRODUCTION OF LEAF LETTUCE FOR HUMAN LlFE SUPPORT IN CELSS
.................................
C, A. Mitchell. S. L. Knight and T. L. Ford .499
CLOSED CULTURE PLANT STUDIES: IMPLICATIONS FOR CELSS
..............................................................
T. Hoshizaki .523
A METHOD FOR SCREENING OF PLANT SPECIES FOR SPACE USE
J. D. Goeschl. R. L-. Sauer and H. W. Scheld ................................5 41
POTATO LEAF EXPLANTS AS A SPACEFLIGHT PLANT TEST SYSTEM
............................................................
R. M. Wheeler .555
THE EFFECT OF ULTRADIAN AND ORBITAL CYCLES ON PLANT GROWTH
.......................................
W. Berry. T. Hoshizaki and A. Ulrich .565
NITROGEN UPTAKE AND UTILIZATION BY INTACT PLANTS
....... ;. ...............................
C. D. Raper. Jr. and L. Tolley-Henry 577
THE ROLE OF PLANT DISEASE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONTROLLED
ECOLOGICAL LlFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS
.................................................................
B. Nelson 595
Epilogue
, I
DEVELOPMENT OF SPACE TECHNOLOGY FOR ECOLOGICAL HABITATS
.............................................................
N. V. Martello 613
................................................
CELSS'85 LIST OF PARTICIPANTS 627
.............................
ORGANIZATIONS ENGAGED IN RELATED RESEARCH .633
.......
BIBLIOGRAPHY OF CELSS DOCUMENTS PUBLISHED AS N.ASA REPORTS 635
INTRODUCTION
The engineering sophistication gained thus far in the manned space programs of the U.S..
U.S.S.R. and the European Space Agency makes it possible for humans to plan for a permanent
presence in space, possibly the next evolutionary step for our species. Life support systems
provide the environmental control in sealed spacecraft that makes it possible for humans, not
only to survive, but to work on complex tasks in the inhospitable environment of space. Space
technology will eventually support establishment of long-term habitats on the Moon, and a
chance for humans to set foot for the first time in a potentially fascinating environment, that
of Mars.
One of the most interesting aspects of recycling, or regenerating, life support supplies in
space is the reduction in cost compared to the alternative of continuously launching these
supplies from Earth. The larger the crew and the longer the mission duration, the greater
the potential for cost savings. Most of the short-term spaceflights to date have rarely used
regenerative technologies. However, with the increase in the yearly number of expeditions (as
with the U.S. Shuttle program), and an increase in mission duration (as with the U.S.S.R.
Salyut space station), regenerative systems become increasingly attractive.
Chemical regenerative systems that reuse spent air and water have been studied by both
the Soviet Union and the United States. Much of the work in the U.S. was done in the 1950's
and 60's in the Aerospace Medicine laboratories of the Air Force, and at NASA-Langley
Research Center. NASA-Ames Research Center became involved with the studies during the
70's. At this time many laboratories in many countries are involved in regenerative life support
investigations. Researchers have reported their progress at the CELSS '85 Workshop at Ames
Research Center. and their papers are included in this volume.
Bioregenerative systems, such as a CELSS, use living organisms to achieve revitalization
of life support materials: removal of carbon dioxide, production of oxygen, and purification of
water. In contrast to physical-chemical regenerative systems, the photosynthetic organisms
in a CELSS also produce the basic foods essential for the maintenance of human life, allowing
the evolution of an increasingly self-sustaining permanent human habitation beyond the Earth.
Studies of plant growth in controlled environment chambers have been conducted in the Soviet
Union, in France, and more recently in the U.S. at NASA-Ames Research Center in California.
In the immediate future. a new U.S. CELSS project at NASA-Kennedy Space Center will
develop a large plant growth chamber, approaching Space Station volumes.
The successful development of a CELSS for spaceflight will demand a deeper level of
understanding of biological and agricultural science. The concept of the CELSS program
is a vertical one. ranging from fundamental science to the flight of a life support system.
The program thus envisions a sequence that requires that fundamental science be applied,
that applied science be transferred to the realm of technology development, and that the
technology be made space-worthy. The job is large and complex, and would benefit greatly
from closer interactions between scientists and engineers, as well as closer cooperation among
the international community of scientists.