Publications and Research
Document Type
Poster
Publication Date
12-5-2024
Abstract
During long-term space expeditions, it is crucial that astronauts receive the nutrients they need to maintain their overall health. While the current space diet of palatable foods is commendable and constantly evolving, nutritional content and food quality degrades over long durations. Microgreens are excellent candidates for space cultivation because they are nutrient-dense, young plants that are are densely grown and harvested when leaves are just emerging. However, antigravity, microgreen fragility, degradation speed, contamination, and limited water resources are substantial barriers to doing so. This study aims to address these challenges by cultivating microgreens inside a hydrogel, a soilless medium, to minimize water usage, as opposed to the current hydroponic methods of rubber mats currently being tested by NASA. Samples of Polyethylene Glycol Diacrylate (PEGDA), a biocompatible polymer, were fabricated using photolithography to provide the moist environment required for microgreens. Arugula seeds were then encapsulated into these samples with inbuilt 3D printed flow channels to enable additional nutrient diffusion. 75% of the seeds germinated in the PEG DA samples within 1-3 days when left submerged in water, with true leaves emerging shortly afterwards. Although these results demonstrate great potential in microgreen cultivation in space, further research is needed to solidify the cultivation procedure, ensure continuous plant growth after plant collection, as well as observing the effects of antigravity on the cultivation itself.
Comments
This poster, second place winner for group projects, was presented at the 41st Semi-Annual Dr. Janet Liou-Mark Honors & Undergraduate Research Poster Presentation, Dec. 5, 2024. Mentor: Prof. Ozlem Yasar (Mechanical Engineering Technology).