Performance of Wheat for Air Revitalization and Food Production During the Lunar-Mars Life Support Test Project Phase III Test

The Lunar-Mars Life Support Systems Test Project's Phase iii Test utilized the Variable Pressure Growth Chamber to contribute to the air revitalization and food requirements of a crew of four for a period of 91 days. USU-Apogee wheat was planted and harvested using a staged approach to provide more uniform levels of air revitalization and a staggered production of grain. The wheat crop provided an average of 1 .1 person-equivalents per day of carbon dioxide removal for air revitalization over the 91 -day human test. Over 34 kg of grain was harvested. it was found that staged cropping required more intensive management of the nutrient solution than single batch cropping. it was also found that salts which were biologically recovered from the plant biomass were as effective as conventional reagent-grade salts for use in the hydroponic nutrient solution.