PERSPECTIVES OF DEVELOPING SPACE GREENHOUSE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

摘要

Russian engineers have started developing a conveyer vegetable space greenhouse intended for the life support module of the international space station. The design daily output of the greenhouse is 150g of fresh vitamin vegetable and the power consumption is 1 KW. The greenhouse comprises a vegetable chamber with a cylindrical convex grow area composed of 10 vegetable vessels. The plant root feeding system is designed to use ion exchange, ion saturated soil substrates. For plant lighting air - cooled fluorescent lamps are used. The greenhouse is outfitted with an air conditioner with a closed loop and a transpiration water condensate recycle device to the vegetable vessels. Currently the main units of a ground experimental system mockup have been built. Experimental operation of the greenhouse aboard the orbital station is scheduled for January 2001.