Stage 4: Plan

One sheet per group

Due May 31st

Detailed descriptions of the tests you need to conduct:
For each test- what is the test, the purpose, general procedure, and what is
needed to conduct it

Instead of hypothetical tests, we are following the research of larger

companies attempting the same product and the below will be a compilation
of their results to show us the best method to use for our creation. The links
are to pages that explain their research and tests.

Plants​:
A rotation of soybeans, potatoes, spinach, and tomatoes would maintain the
nitrogen levels of the soil and prevent nutrient depletion that would lead to
reduced yields. All of these crops require loose soil and around the same
temperature (70º).
https://harvesttotable.com/spinach_growing_tips/
https://home.howstuffworks.com/tomatoes1.htm
https://harvesttotable.com/how_to_grow_potatoes/
https://harvesttotable.com/how_to_grow_soybean/
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/crops-not-plant-after-potato-crop-54999.htm
l

Stationed​:
Mechanical Engineers for maintenance
Botanists to deal with the plants
Researchers to gather and analyze data
Needed: food, water, oxygen, fuel, spare parts, clothing, scientific payloads, etc.
How: Schedules Shipments after the initial assembly.
https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/iss-operating_an_outp
ost-tagged.pdf
Water​:
hydroponic recirculating system. Using an NFT with a 1% gradient, the water
and nutrients constantly filter through the roots under the plants at a rate of 1
liter per minute. This creates a renewable water system for the plants,
allowing them to grow constantly.
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-plant-researchers-explore-question-of-d
eep-space-food-crops
http://www.cannagardening.com/recirculating_systems

Light​:
red and blue LED’s. Using a mix of red and blue LED’s, the plants will grow at a
better and healthier rate. Under an even mixture of red and blue light, the
plants result in growing bigger given desirable circumstances as well as
having high levels of antioxidant which combat effects of cosmic radiation.
Using LED’s 24/7 will also quicken the growth rate and keep constant light
while the satellite is circling.
https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/home/plant_growth.html

Farming​:
vertical farming in stacked trays (imagine library rows) for optimal space. The
layers will go top: LED lights, middle: plants with room to grow, bottom: NFT
system. These layers will be stacked in rows to allow each plant to grow
without competition as well as create more space for more plants.
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/science/biofarming.html

Assembly​:
Like the ISS, assembly will happen in space 240 miles above the atmosphere
with the shipment of multiple parts. Assembly will take the most time and
money out of all the steps. Following NASA’s footsteps, shipping up smaller
assembled pieces to then put together in space is the best option due to the
improbability of launching the satellite as a whole into space and through the
atmosphere. We would then need to launch people into space to assemble the
parts into one satellite to then use for our project.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/space-sta
tion-assembly

Air (CO2)​:
In the quarters for people to live and work in, electrolysis will split H2O
molecules in order to generate renewable oxygen. Carbon dioxide will be put
through a similar system to the Zeolite which will expel any unnecessary CO2.
The plants will take in CO2 from the people on board the satellite and the
people will take in the O2 from the plants. The other devices are
precautionary so that the levels of both gases are equal. There will also be
machines to monitor the levels and create a form of homeostasis on the
satellite.
https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2000/ast13nov_1

Materials​:
Outer shell: lightweight aluminum and external thermal layer
Protection: ​ Layers of Kevlar, ceramic fabrics, and other advanced materials
10 cm thick
Inside: steel and anything needed for specific rooms (such as where the plants
will be grown
Solar Panels: the satellite will be powered by large solar panels similar to the
ISS
https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2001/ast14mar_1