Hello

I am looking for information about greenhouse experiments in space. I
have found lots of information on the NASA web, but mostly useless (at
least in relation with what I am looking for). I would like to know
what is today's "state of the art" in growing plants in
microgravity (or also in low atmospheric pressure). I have some info
(not very much, anyway) on the experiments carried out in Salyuts and
Mir, the problems found and the fixes tried, but I haven't found
almost anything about improvements made in ISS; only descriptions of
the hardware and experiments, and grandilocuent words about the
possibilities for the future... but no analysis of results, no
conclusions, no new problems found and what is being investigated in
order to solve them... In short, I would like to know where we are know
in this matter, since it seems to me that not very much has been
achieved in the last 20 years.

Does anybody know where can I find some useful information about this?
I don't look for very technical information, just medium level,
"popular science". Thank you very much

Regards,

Javier Casado
Madrid, Spain
http://es.geocities.com/fjcasadop

When are you taking your next trip on the space shuttle?


wrote in message
ups.com...
Hello

I am looking for information about greenhouse experiments in space. I
have found lots of information on the NASA web, but mostly useless (at
least in relation with what I am looking for). I would like to know
what is today's "state of the art" in growing plants in
microgravity (or also in low atmospheric pressure). I have some info
(not very much, anyway) on the experiments carried out in Salyuts and
Mir, the problems found and the fixes tried, but I haven't found
almost anything about improvements made in ISS; only descriptions of
the hardware and experiments, and grandilocuent words about the
possibilities for the future... but no analysis of results, no
conclusions, no new problems found and what is being investigated in
order to solve them... In short, I would like to know where we are know
in this matter, since it seems to me that not very much has been
achieved in the last 20 years.

Does anybody know where can I find some useful information about this?
I don't look for very technical information, just medium level,
"popular science". Thank you very much

Regards,

Javier Casado
Madrid, Spain
http://es.geocities.com/fjcasadop

Sure not before march 2006, since the fleet is grounded...
Anyway, it is easier in Soyuz... You just have to pay 20 million
dollars!

I think I will rely on experiments done by other, and keep my money for
more conventional vacations!

Ah yes, conventional vacations!!!

There's no better excuse for having wild parties than going to a
convention!!

Next year they will be selling the video: "Botanists Gone Wild"!!!!


wrote in message
oups.com...
Sure not before march 2006, since the fleet is grounded...
Anyway, it is easier in Soyuz... You just have to pay 20 million
dollars!

I think I will rely on experiments done by other, and keep my money for
more conventional vacations!

Have you tried searching for CELSS, which stands for Controlled
Ecological Life-Support Systems?

There may not be popular accounts for most CELSS research. You may have
to rely on research literature, especially abstracts.

To find some recent abstracts, search PubMed for: CELSS plant or ISS

PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

There are many problems, such as finding an optimal growing medium,
optimal light level and light source, optimal air flow needed for
pollination and gas exchange, dealing with accumulation of ethylene in
a closed system, overcoming lack of oxygen diffusion in tissues under
microgravity, etc. An overiding problem is if the Earthbound research
on CELSS will even be applicable to CELSS in actual space conditions.

You might wish to email the authors of studies you find interesting and
ask for reprints.

David R. Hershey

No I didn't know it. In fact, I know almost nothing about botanics, I
am a space writer (amateur, my real profession is aeronautical
engineering) and I feel a little lost in this matter. Your link seems
very interesting, I'll try out, thank you very much.
Yes, I have read about the problems you quote. But as far as I know,
most of them have been avoided with the use of better technology
(better greenhouses). Already in Salyut 7 (about 1982, I think),
russians achieved a complete cycle with arabidopsis, from seed to seed
again, with a new plant grown from those space seeds. 14 years later,
in Mir, americans almost repeated the success, although with ethylene
problems (the final seeds were sterile). I suppose than later on ISS
the experiments will have improved. That is what I would like to know,
where we are today in this research.
Dr. Nechitailo (russian) was the leading researcher in this matter some
decades ago, it would be good to contact her, but I haven't found how
to do it.
Thanks again por your information, I'll check it out.

Regards,

Javier Casado
Madrid, Spain
http://es.geocities.com/fjcasadop