Green on the Red planet

Our mission is to develop a modular greenhouse with rigid and inflatable elements for a self-sustainable future human base on Mars, trying to introduce innovative solutions. The goal of the project is to feed four astronauts. Greenhouse have to be a fully automatic operating system operating thanks to energy systems, outer and supplemental lighting and autonomous harvesting thanks to robot farmers. Energy systems we investigated includes solar, wind and nuclear power.

This project is solving the Deployable Greenhouse challenge.

Description

Introduction

Our mission is to develop a greenhouse with inflatable modules on Mars for a sustainable future human base. The goal of the project is to feed four (4) astronauts. Also, it will be fully automatic.

Configuration chosen

The structure will be composed by a primary module and secondary modules attached. The main module will contain the environmental control system and power supply for the space system and it will monitor the growth of plants. Secondary Modules will be inflatable for feasibility reasons and they will deploy themselves automatically once the main module landed on Mars. The team has made a tradeoff study to figure out what configuration will be suit more the mission. The configuration chosen will fulfill the requirement and provide up to 200 m^2 of greenhouse which should be able to feed and provide fresh air at least to 4 astronauts of a stable colony on Mars.

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Displacement

After the landing of the main module will proceed with disposal phases.

  • The main module will anchor to the ground;

  • Two arms will get out from the module;

  • Greenhouse will be inflated using pressurized gas from the atmosphere.

Materials

The materials will play an essential role in the mission. Composite materials are already widely used for space applications and it will implement in our structure due to their low density as well as good mechanical and thermal proprieties. Inflatable structure will also have a solid carbon dioxide radiation shield.

Thermal Control and internal lighting

The plants will need an environment more similar to the terrestrial one as possible. That means that we will need to control the internal temperature and protect the plants from the extreme cold of Mars and at the same time we should provide solar light to allow the chemical process to produce oxygen.

More info

You can found more information on the 'Project URL' and in 'Resources', listed below. Watch our extended video presentation!

Special thanks to "Banana Rover" and "Don't stop the motion" projects of Rome local challenge!


Project Information

License: Creative Commons BY 3.0
Source Code/Project URL: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/y4ax4d2tnh89go0/uYYxxIgsBZ

Resources

Main Project Presentation - https://www.dropbox.com/s/pve0yan44p6rj8n/MainPresentation.pdf
Project Document - https://www.dropbox.com/s/85hvo0tlacg9o83/ProjectDocument.pdf
Video Presentation - Extended Version - http://youtu.be/TF-MLYS34JU
Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/GreenOnTheRedPlanet
Twitter Page - https://twitter.com/Green_RedPlanet
Our journey to Space App - http://prezi.com/bjjlmbvrem6f/green-on-the-red-planet-deployable-greenhouse-challenge/?kw=view-bjjlmbvrem6f&rc=ref-39830085
Video - Greenhouse's opening - http://youtu.be/0PkXc2oMbcc
Presentation for KSC Challenge - Green on the Red planet - https://www.dropbox.com/s/de6m5h2386w8cn1/Presentation%20for%20KSC%20Challenge%20-Green%20on%20the%20Red%20planet.pps?v=0swn-