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FacultyÌýAdvisor:ÌýKathrynÌýWingate

Industry Mentor: Vanter

Project Summary: The design problem we’re facing is that during extended missions, astronauts cannot rely on fresh food brought from Earth because the nutritional value declines over time.Ìý

Plant growth on the moon has never been done before with radiation posing the greatest challenge. Our mission objective is to design, build, test and monitor an autonomous greenhouse system capableÌýofÌýgrowingÌý20ÌýhealthyÌýAstroPlantsÌýunderÌý3mÌýofÌýlunarÌýregolith,ÌýwhileÌýtransmittingÌýdataÌýto a nearby ground station approximately 100m away for 15 days.Ìý

Over the fall and spring semesters, the project moves from design to testing and validation. In the fall, the team must deliver a report detailing final system requirements, designs for the greenhouse and ground station, supporting prototype and modeling results, a projected budget, parts list, and Gantt chartÌýforÌýspring,ÌýalongÌýwithÌýdetailedÌýCADÌýmodelsÌýofÌýbothÌýsystems.ÌýInÌýtheÌýspring,ÌýtheÌýfocusÌýshifts to building of the ground station and greenhouse while testing the design and monitoring the growth of the plants.Ìý

The final report will document the completed prototype, final budget, hardwareÌýrecommendationsÌýforÌýlunarÌýuse,ÌýtestÌýresults,ÌýverificationÌýofÌýrequirements,ÌýandÌýlessons learned.ÌýTestingÌýinÌýlunarÌýgravity,Ìýradiation,ÌýorÌývacuumÌýenvironmentsÌýisÌýoutÌýofÌýscope,ÌýasÌýisÌýdirect oxygen supply.