09ICES-0258

A Deployable Salad Crop Production System for Lunar Habitats.

Robert C. Morrow & Ross W. Remiker

Orbital Technologies Corporation

Copyright © 2009 SAE International

ABSTRACT
The Deployable Vegetable Production System (VEGGIE)
was originally developed as a way to produce fresh
vegetables on the ISS with minimal resources. We are
reassessing this system for use in Lunar habitats to
produce palatable, nutritious, and safe fresh food,
provide a recreational tool, and provide a platform to
support biological life support development by allowing in
situ study of crop productivity and air and water
revitalization. The VEGGIE system consists of plant
growth chambers that can be stowed in a volume less
than 10% of their deployed volume, while still providing
the light output and root zone capabilities necessary to
support high plant productivity rates. The system has
significantly reduced logistical and operational
requirements compared to other plant growth systems,
and is of a modular design to allow logistical flexibility in
terms of transport options and placement in a habitat
structure.
2
m of growing area can be stowed within the equivalent
of a single crew transfer bag. VEGGIE provides lighting
and nutrient delivery, but utilizes the cabin environment
for temperature control and as a source of CO2 to
minimize complexity and power requirements. The core
of the VEGGIE system is the solid state lighting unit. The
compact configuration of this system is only possible
using very low profile arrays of LEDs. These solid state
lights have properties that can be manipulated to
produce high light levels with much less power than other
lighting technologies.
The VEGGIE system was designed for microgravity
application, but is now being evaluated for use in a lunar
habitat.

INTRODUCTION

Producing fresh vegetables in a space habitat has been

proposed for many years. However, the resources
necessary to provide and maintain a large continuous
growing volume have been prohibitive. One method to
provide at least occasional fresh produce in a space
habitat would be the use of low resource, stowable plant Figure 1. VEGGIE concept.
growth systems. As part of a small business innovative
research grant, ORBITEC designed a deployable plant
growth unit called the Vegetable Production System HARDWARE OVERVIEW
(VEGGIE) for the purpose of producing salad type crops
to provide a palatable, nutritious and safe source of fresh The VEGGIE system comprises three major
food and a tool for relaxation and recreation in a space components: the light cap, the enclosure, and the rooting
environment (Figure 1). The VEGGIE design provides mat (Figure 2).
growing areas that can be “daisy chained” together to
provide the desired total growing area. Approximately 1

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 Instrument
Access Ports

Adjustable Shoot Zone

Ventilation
LED Light Cap

Interface
Controls
and Display

Self- Figure 3. VEGGIE LED light cap.

Supporting
Bellows
ENCLOSURE

After conducting a trade study for several deployment

Root Mat
Reservoir Fill Port
Figure 2. Current VEGGIE configuration.
LIGHT CAP
The lighting system chosen for VEGGIE is based on an
array of light emitting diodes. This allows for a very low
profile light cap, while providing high light levels. This
array contains red LEDs for photosynthesis, blue LEDs
for photomorphogenesis, and green LEDs for use during
photography. The current VEGGIE design utilizes 91
metal core wafers containing 100 red, blue and green
LEDs (Figure 3). Tests showed that 108W was required
2 (shown closed)
to achieve a light output of 300 µmole/m /s at a distance
of 5 cm from the lights, with a light uniformity throughout
the growth area of ±20%. The 108W is with clear bellows
and includes power converters, electronics, and fans.
2
The 300 µmole/m /s was divided among light
wavelengths as follows:
•
2
250 µmole/m /s red
•
2
25 µmole/m /s blue
•
2
25 µmole/m /s green
The light cap provides active control of light level,
spectrum, and photoperiod. The lighting system operates
off of standard 28VDC spacecraft power, but can be
modified to adapt to other power systems.
The light cap also has fans and adjustable vents to
regulate humidity within the growing enclosure, working
with the enclosure to act as a semi-passive humidity
control system.
options, it was determined that a bellows provided the
best solution for the enclosure as it requires minimum
hardware (lightweight and low volume), allows rapid
deployment and restow, provides a soft enclosure for the
growing area, provides humidity control, and allows the
lighting system to be positioned just above the plant
canopy, taking advantage of the low radiant heat output
of LEDs and reducing the power necessary to maintain a
given light level. Flight versions of the bellows are
fabricated from clear Teflon with ductable wire inserts to
allow positioning of the bellows in reduced gravity.
Relative humidity is partially controlled by enclosing the
growing volume with the bellows and using a ventilation
system in the light cap consisting of fans with adjustable
vents to allow control of air exchange rates (Figure 4).
Iris
Control knob
Figure 4. VEGGIE ventilation control system with fan
(left) and controllable iris vent (right).
Testing determined that the iris settings can be used to
control to a given humidity setpoint, within the humidity
range that is possible based on ambient conditions. The
minimum attainable humidity is limited by the ambient
temperature and relative humidity in the habitat, the
maximum air flow rate through the growth volume, and
the transpiration rate of the plants. The maximum
attainable humidity is limited by the need to prevent
condensation within the growth volume.
Fans had a maximum air exchange rate of approximately
3
2.8m /hr. At the 25° set point, with a chamber full of
lettuce, reducing flow rate by 10% - 20% of maximum
resulted in condensation. When the irises were returned
to the fully opened position, it took 2.5 to 3.5 hours for
the condensation to evaporate. The temperature in the
growing area was more elevated above ambient
temperature than desired (about 4C instead of 2C). A
VEGGIE design mod would likely include somewhat
more powerful air exchange fans to reduce this delta.
ROOTING MAT

The capillary rooting mat was developed to provide water

and nutrient delivery in microgravity. The system utilizes
a compressible mat formed from Nomex that can
accommodate a large variety of horticultural crops and
can be swapped out of the growing unit when desired.
The root mat can accommodate a nutrient solution
supply sufficient for several days, depending on the crop,
and meets all NASA safety requirements. The Nomex
mat is partially sealed into a Teflon reservoir, and housed Figure 6. Testing in VEGGIE prototypes using
in a black Teflon pouch (Figure 5). Water or nutrient compact fluorescent lamps.
solution is wicked from the sealed reservoir into the
Nomex mat. Nomex was used since it is a good wicking LETTUCE
material while also meeting NASA flammability and
outgassing requirements. These mats are thin enough to Three production trials were competed under red and
be disposable, but also robust enough to be disinfected blue LEDs in high fidelity VEGGIE units using the lettuce
in-situ using food grade disinfectants so that each root cultivar ‘Grand Rapids’. Plants were harvested at 28
mat could grow multiple crops, reducing resupply mass. days and had normal coloration and appearance (Figure
Productivity in the root mats during testing was variable, 7). Productivity values varied between the each run
possibly due to reuse of the mats multiple times, and (Figure 8), probably due to root mat variables, such as
further testing and modification of refurbishment sanitation technique.
techniques might lead to reduced variability between
cropping cycles. The use of mats for a single crop cycle
would provide the best results, but requires more
resources.

Black Teflon
Nutrient
outer cover
solution fill
port

Nomex wick

Figure 7. Lettuce plants grown on VEGGIE root mat

under red and blue LEDs.
Best Mat Avg 3 Mats

Figure 5. VEGGIE high fidelity root mat. 8

7
PRELIMINARY CROP TESTS
6
Productivity (g dm/m2/d)

A number of crop plants were tested using VEGGIE

5
technology, including lettuce, radish, cherry tomato,
green onion, and dwarf peas. The fabric root mats were 4

capable of successfully growing each of these salad 3

plants. Productivity was variable, but generally lower than
terrestrial growth chamber production levels. This 2

variability is likely due to how the seed is placed in 1

contact with the mat, how nutrients are provided, the
microbial and microclimate of the room mat and if root 0
1 2 3
mats are reused multiple times, the materials and Trial Number
processes used to clean and sanitize the mats. Two
crops, lettuce and radish, were tested under LED lights Figure 8. Productivity of lettuce (cv. ‘Grand Rapids’)
and using high fidelity root mats. The remaining crops in flightlike VEGGIE units.
were tested in high fidelity root mats, but under compact
fluorescent lamps (Figure 6).
As a general benchmark, lettuce productivity rates
observed by Kennedy Space Center (KSC) researchers
using nutrient film systems and LED (Yorio et al., 2001)
or HPS (Wheeler et al., 2003) lighting systems have
been in the range of 7-8 g dm/m2/d
RADISH
Three trials of radishes where conducted under red and
blue LEDs in the high fidelity VEGGIE units using the
cultivar Cabernet (Figure 9). The radishes formed
storage roots normally and were ready for harvest in 21
days. The productivity of the radishes also varied from
run to run (Figure 10), most likely due to root mat issues
such as how the mat was sanitized between runs. The
per plant biomass for the higher runs was close to that Figure 11. Green onion cultivar “White Lisbon”
seen for radishes tested under red LEDs supplemented grown in VEGGIE root mat.
with blue fluorescent lights at KSC (Yorio et al., 2001),
though a direct comparison was not possible due to
difference in cultivars and environmental conditions.

Figure 12. VEGGIE mat with tomatoes (cultivars

Micro Tom and Northern Delight) yielded 53
Figure 9. Radishes growing in high fidelity VEGGIE tomatoes in one month after onset of production.
plant growth system.
Storage Root DM Top DM

2.0

1.8

1.6

1.4
Dry mass (g/plant)

1.2

1.0

0.8

0.6

0.4
Figure 13. Earligreen pea grown in VEGGIE system.
0.2
Five harvests over the last half of a two month
0.0
a)Avg 3 Mats a)Best Mat b)Avg 3 Mats b)Best Mat c)Avg 3 Mats c)Best Mat
growing period produced about 60 pods per unit.
Trial

FLIGHT QUALIFICATION
Figure 10. Dry weight of top and storage root of
radishes produced in VEGGIE system.
A hazard analysis was performed to identify and evaluate
MISCELLANEOUS CROP DEMONSTRATIONS hazards and needed safety design and operation
requirements. The VEGGIE design was broken down
Additional crops that were demonstrated in the VEGGIE
into functional components. Each component was then
system included green onions (Figure 11), cherry tomato
evaluated, looking at potential causes and effects of
(Figure 12), and dwarf peas (Figure 13).
degraded component operation, component failure and
incorrect component operation. After reviewing each
component, the VEGGIE was evaluated at the system
level by assessing potential interactions between
components, taking into consideration the operational
environment and both automated and crew operations
that are anticipated to occur during a standard mission
profile. Potential hazards identified during these analyses
were then categorized as generic hazards, as defined
per JSC form 1230, or as VEGGIE unique hazards. As
far as could be determined, the VEGGIE design is
compatible with all ISS requirements, but it is not yet
certain how these requirements will translate to lunar
habitats.
After the safety analysis, the areas of greatest concern
that affect the VEGGIE design and that also need to be
accessed for operations in a lunar environment are:
• Acoustics
The acoustics of a single VEGGIE meet specifications,
but it is not clear if the use of multiple VEGGIE units will
meet specifications. This may limit the maximum growing
area available and is thus a critical factor in any design
updates. This is impacted primarily by the air circulation
fans selected for VEGGIE.
• Humidity output to cabin air
For ISS, there is no defined requirement for humidity
output to cabin air from payloads. One requirement infers
that the maximum amount of water returned to cabin air
as humidity shall not exceed 3.3 kg/day. Another
requirement states that the maximum cabin air latent
heat load for ISS modules is 70 W for each module,
which is equivalent to approximately 2.6 kg/day of water
vapor, under typical conditions. This is still greater than
the average quantity of 1.6 kg/day of humidity expected
2
to be given off by 1 m of growing area. This requirement
is another factor that may determine the maximum
growing area that could be accommodated by habitats
either in microgravity or 1/6g.

Food safety
It is critical to ensure that any salad plants produced in a
space habitat are microbiologically safe, and NASA
medical personnel have been very hesitant about letting
the crew eat fresh food produced on the ISS. To address
this issue, a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point
(HACCP) program for maintaining biological safety
during crop production in the VEGGIE units was
developed in conjunction with the VEGGIE hardware.
This activity involved determination of critical control
points (CCPs) in the VEGGIE crop production process
where interventions may be applied to control hazards,
development of sanitation standard operating procedures
(SSOPs) for VEGGIE, and then validation of CCPs in a
VEGGIE prototype.
This effort also involved evaluation of the populations of
viable bacteria in biofilms formed on the materials used
in construction of VEGGIE chamber (e.g. Teflon, Nomex)
testing the effectiveness of an EPA-approved,
biodegradable, foodgrade sanitizer for destroying human
enteric pathogens on these materials, and testing the
effectiveness of the sanitizer for destroying human
enteric pathogens in two artificially inoculated root mats.
MICROGRAVITY VS LUNAR GRAVITY ISSUES
The original VEGGIE was developed for microgravity
applications. It is now being evaluated for lunar
applications with 1/6g. In most aspects, this will improve
the operational characteristics of this plant growth
system. The primary improvement will be in the delivery
of water and nutrients. Containment and control of water
or nutrient solution is much easier with even a low level
of gravity available. Wicking type subirrigation systems
are widely used in terrestrial environments and have
been used in microgravity, so they should function well in
1/6 g. In addition, 1/6 g is sufficient to allow operation of
standard hydroponic systems including nutrient film and
drip irrigation, providing a broader range of culture
systems to select from.
In microgravity VEGGIE units can theoretically be
operated in any aspect, and the bellows do not need to
support any mass. In 1/6g, units will have to operate in a
horizontal position and the point where the bellows
connects to the light cap will need to support the
increased plant mass as the system is designed to
operate by mounting the light cap and letting the bellows
hang and support the plants (Figure 14).
Also, the expense of carrying a payload to the moon
makes it even more critical to minimize mass, power and
volume.
Figure 14. Rack Mockup with VEGGIE light cap
mounted at top and bellows hanging in fully open
position.
STATUS
Earlier work on this project was reported by Morrow et al.
(2005). Three high fidelity VEGGIE systems currently
exist (Figure 15), two are being used for testing at KSC
and one at ORBITEC. The specifications for these units
are shown in Figure 16. The existing VEGGIE system
design is being reviewed for technology upgrades. A
primary target for upgrade is the LED lighting system as
this accounts for most of the mass and power required.
Preliminary tests have indicated that by implementing
new high output discrete LED technology the light output
of the current system can be increased by >40% with the
same power input, or conversely, the same light level
can be maintained with about 40% less power. In
addition, the use of discrete device technology allows the
driver circuits to be integrated into the LED mounting
circuit board, eliminating two driver boards and reducing
the overall volume and mass of electronics, which should
also allow a reduction in the mass of the electronics
housing.
The rooting mat system also requires additional testing
and development. The Kennedy Space Center is
currently testing other rooting systems for use in
VEGGIE, oriented toward a lunar gravity environment
rather than microgravity (Stutte, G. 2009-personal
communication).
Figure 15. High fidelity VEGGIE units undergoing
testing prior to delivery to KSC.
Figure 16. Technical specifications for existing high
fidelity VEGGIE prototypes.
REFERENCES
Morrow R. C., R.W. Remiker, M. J. Mischnick, L.K.
Tuominen, M.C. Lee and T.M. Crabb. 2005. A Low
Equivalent System Mass Plant Growth Unit for
Space. SAE Technical Paper Series Paper No.
05ICES-119.
Exploration Yorio, N.C., G.D. Goins, H.R. Kagie, R.M.
Wheeler, and J.C. Sager. 2001. Improving spinach,
radish, and lettuce growth under red light emitting
diodes (LEDs) with blue supplementation.
HortScience 36:380-383.
Wheeler, R.M., J.C. Sager, R.P. Prince, W.M. Knott, C.L.
Mackowiak, G.W. Stutte, N.C. Yorio, L.M. Ruffe, B.V.
Peterson, G.D. Goins, C.R. Hinkle, and W.L. Berry.
2003. Crop production for advanced life support
systems-Observations from the Kennedy Space
Center breadboard project. NASA/TM-2003-211184.
CONTACT
Dr. Robert C. Morrow
morrow@orbitec.com
Mr. Ross W. Remiker
remikerr@orbitec.com