ExoLab: The Growth of Heat Tolerant Plants in Microgravity

Grade Level at Time of Presentation

Sophomore

2nd Grade Level at Time of Presentation

Freshmen

Institution

Morehead State University

KY House District #

92

KY Senate District #

29

Department

Dept. of Biology

Abstract

Magnitude.io launched the second edition of the Exolab to the ISS in December 2018. The ExoLab housed four editable, heat tolerant plants: Amaranth, Extra Dwarf Pak Choy, Purslane and Wasabi. The goal was to grow these four plants in a microgravity environment. Within the ExoLab Cleanroom, located in Morehead State University’s Space Science Center, the ExoLab team monitored the ground experiment, which consisted of the same four plants. The ground experiment modeled the ExoLab chamber on the ISS. It had four test tubes and the chamber was designed to expose the plants to the same color light being used on the ISS. The chamber monitored the light intensity, CO2 levels, humidity and temperature to ensure that these variables stayed controlled. The Amaranth housed in the Earth chamber did not sprout due to an orange fungal specimen overtaking the tube within two day. Wasabi was the fastest growing plant, which eventually led to the plant leaning over after three and a half weeks. Although the we tried to control the CO2 levels and humidity, once the plants sprouted the CO2 levels decreased and the humidity levels began to rise.

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ExoLab: The Growth of Heat Tolerant Plants in Microgravity

Magnitude.io launched the second edition of the Exolab to the ISS in December 2018. The ExoLab housed four editable, heat tolerant plants: Amaranth, Extra Dwarf Pak Choy, Purslane and Wasabi. The goal was to grow these four plants in a microgravity environment. Within the ExoLab Cleanroom, located in Morehead State University’s Space Science Center, the ExoLab team monitored the ground experiment, which consisted of the same four plants. The ground experiment modeled the ExoLab chamber on the ISS. It had four test tubes and the chamber was designed to expose the plants to the same color light being used on the ISS. The chamber monitored the light intensity, CO2 levels, humidity and temperature to ensure that these variables stayed controlled. The Amaranth housed in the Earth chamber did not sprout due to an orange fungal specimen overtaking the tube within two day. Wasabi was the fastest growing plant, which eventually led to the plant leaning over after three and a half weeks. Although the we tried to control the CO2 levels and humidity, once the plants sprouted the CO2 levels decreased and the humidity levels began to rise.