Regenerative Life Support Systems (RLSS) Test Bed Development at NASA-Johnson Space Center

Tri, Terry O.; Brown, Mariann F.; Ewert, Michael K.; Foerg, Sandra L.; McKinley, Melissa

doi:10.4271/911425

Cited by 11 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Another situation in which plants would be subjected to low atmospheric pressure is as part of a life support system for human exploration of space, perhaps at a permanently manned base on the moon or Mars. Plants maintained within a closed, artificial environment are effective in the removal of CO 2 produced by human respiration, regeneration of O 2 , and purification of H 2 O (as transpirate), as well as being a source of food (Olson et al. 1988, Tri et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Germination and growth of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) at low atmospheric pressure

Spanarkel

Drew²

2002

Physiologia Plantarum

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The response of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Waldmann's Green) to low atmospheric pressure was examined during the initial 5 days of germination and emergence, and also during subsequent growth to vegetative maturity at 30 days. Growth took place inside a 66-l-volume low pressure chamber maintained at 70 kPa, and plant response was compared to that of plants in a second, matching chamber that was at ambient pressure (approximately 101 kPa) as a control. In other experiments, to determine short-term effects of low pressure transients, plants were grown at ambient pressure until maturity and then subjected to alternating periods of 24 h of low and ambient atmospheric pressures. In all treatments the partial pressure of O2 was maintained at 21 kPa (approximately the partial pressure in air at normal pressure), and the partial pressure of CO2 was in the range 66.5-73.5 Pa (about twice that in normal air) in both chambers, with the addition of CO2 during the light phase. With continuous exposure to low pressure, shoot and root growth was at least as rapid as at ambient pressure, with an overall trend towards slightly greater performance at the lower pressure. Dark respiration rates were greater at low pressure. Transient periods at low pressure decreased transpiration and increased dark respiration but only during the period of exposure to low pressure. We conclude that long-term or short-term exposure to subambient pressure (70 kPa) was without detectable detriment to vegetative growth and development.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%