Young scientists from the Warsaw University of Technology grew plants in conditions similar to those on the moon. This was made possible, among other things, through the use of a lunar soil simulator in the plant selection module and the use of appropriate bacteria in the space cultivation process.
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The Warsaw University of Technology (PW) reported on the work of young scientists on its website. Students participated in the IGLUNA project, a project by Space Innovations and the European Space Agency focused on the idea of space exploration. As noted by the university, the IGLUNA 2021 project provided students with the opportunity to participate in a joint international project on a visionary space theme. The purpose of the mission was to demonstrate the technology of supporting life in extreme environments for space habitat and exploiting advanced technologies through a remote control mode.
As part of the project, teams of students from around the world were able to test their technologies, including rovers and navigation systems. The event took place on the Swiss mountain Pilatus, which became a colony. cosmic. Young researchers from the Warsaw University of Technology tested the performance of their innovative solution: SAMPLE 2 (Semi-autonomous modular plant and another Experiment 2 for life support).
„After climbing and rolling a roller coaster at an altitude of 2,132 meters, the students successfully installed the module on rocky and unstable terrain.. They could only control it from a distance. The organizers planned to send data over the Internet with a delay of 2.5 seconds to reflect the reality of equipment control in space, ”announced the university’s website.
Once the field step was completed and the module verified, the experiment turned out to be successful. “The combination of technical solutions with a properly prepared regolith allowed the plants to germinate and the students – think seriously about the continuation of the project” – reports PW.
SAMPLE 2 is a continuation of the SAMPLE project, prepared for the needs of last year’s IGLUNA campaign. – We use the same module that was built last year but with a modified version. In addition to heating, we have improved, among other things, the CO2 sensor and the light sensor, which measure the intensity of white light and specific colors. For plants to grow, you need the right balance of red, blue and green, ”said Gabriela Mystkowska, a student who coordinates the technical aspects of SAMPLE 2.
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Closed ecosystem
The closed ecosystem within each module is protected against extreme outdoor conditions through the use of thermal and radiological insulation. The energy needed to power the internal functions is provided by solar panels. However, it is not the technical changes, but the biotechnological part that represents the greatest revolution in modified design.
– We were able to buy a soil simulator from Off Planet Research lunar. It is the best lunar regolith medium available for commercial use. You only have access to better solutions Nasa and other space agencies – said Konrad Uściło, coordinator of the biotechnology section of the project. This niche product is characterized by near perfect structure, composition, density and chemical composition, allowing it to function in “lunar conditions”.
Microorganisms also play an important role in the projectwhose task is to help transform the properties of the simulator so that the plants for which the module is intended grow efficiently in it.
When looking for good bacteria, students had to remember the requirements of the lunar soil and make sure it was useful in the cosmic cultivation process. The choice fell on the Shewanella oneidensis strain, which WUT students obtained from the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences. – In practice, it uses all possible organic compounds, including CO2. He likes low pH, he also has a very interesting metabolism, which works well with a metallic substrate, can reduce uranium, among other things – he listed the benefits of the Uściło bacteria.
SAMPLE 2 also uses the urease-secreting fungi Cryptococcus albidius, which are capable of breaking down urea, which in turn provides the nitrogenous compounds needed by plants.
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