1. 1 From MIR to ISS Experiment on study of plants’ growth and ripening in space flight conditions

2. 2 “GREENHOUSE” SPACE EXPERIMENT GOALS creation of technical complex to grow plants on-board space station study of plants’ growth and ripening in space flight conditions SPACE EXPERIMENT FACILITIES TECHNICAL STUFF – The “Light” Greenhouse equipped with gaging equipment (joint working out of the Institute of Biomedical Problems and Space Research Institute of Belarusan Academy of Science) FLIGHT EQUIPMENT: plants growing chamber; plant-house (root module); lighthead; control unit. GAGING EQUIPMENT: gas analyzer (GAS) – designed by US personnel; pouch with substratum humidity sensors; system of environmental parameters measurements (EDS); power unit (PDS); PC (data collection and operation).

3. 3 EXPERIMENT CHRONICLE StagesYearIncrementUnitExperiment goals 12345 I stage1988ЭО-13“Lightblock"Growth and development of “Erythrosperum” wheat – 19 days 1991ЭО-17 “Lightblock"Cultivation of “Super Midget” wheat – 157 days II stage1995ЭО-19/20Greenhouse “Light”Cultivation of “Super Midget” wheat – 90 days. 1996ЭО-22/НАСА-3Greenhouse “Light” with the system of environmental parameters measurements (EDS); Cultivation of “Super Midget” wheat – 123 days. Phased selection of bioassays. 1996- 1997 ЭО-23/НАСА-4Greenhouse “Light”Wheat cultivation. Fixation to perform biochemical tests 1998ЭО-24/ НАСА-5Greenhouse “Light”Cultivation of Brassica Kapa cabbage. Full vegetation phase – 35 days.

4. 4 EXPERIMENT CHRONICLE StagesYearIncrementUnit Experiment goals 1998-1999ЭО-25-ЭО-26Greenhouse “Light”Cultivation of “Apogee” wheat which is resistant to ethylene – 90 days. 1999ЭО-27Greenhouse “Light”Cultivation of “Apogee” wheat from seed grown in space III этап2000- Experiment results Creation of System of plant cultivation in space flight conditions Polished up conditions of plant growth and surrounding parameters control system There is a first wheat cultivation in space flight, plants has passed the total circle of its biological conditions Principal investigator: Institute of Biomedical Problems (Russia)

5. 5 Greenhouse “Light” Sprouts of “Apogee” wheat

6. 6 Results and analysis ResultsDeviation AnalysisOutputStage Significant press down on plants growth. No ventilation and significant volume of harmful admixtures Perfect of ventilation system Plants height 13 sm. No seed.Low lightingPerfect of lighthead* completed Transgression of development cycle: 12-16 leaf has no spikes Lighting is not sufficientPolished up cultivation technology Low growth of seed. Sprouts - 2,7 times more. Height of sprouts – 2 times lower. All parameters of environment were in boundaries. Control of environmental parameters Ear size – 2 times lower. There are no seed on ears. Increased ethylene abundance in space station MIR atmosphere Necessary to select ethylene resistant plants

7. 7 ResultsDeviation AnalysisOutputStage Plants reach stage of ripening.Seed development analysisFailure in usage of American atmosphere cleaning filters Plants passed through the whole development circle. First wheat seed were grown in space flight. There are no deviations in plants development System of plants cultivation completely were polished up Plants passed through the whole development circle and seed were grown. There are no deviations in plants development Plants could grow and seed in space flight conditions. Microgravity does not restrict its development. * completed Problems: Station close volume factor could make negative influence on plants development. Goal for the future – to organize sufficient environmental control. Results and analysis

8. 8 Special direction of biological researches is a studying of possibility of the total cycle of plants development under space flight conditions. There is greenhouse which is called LADA on-board ISS. Its’ goal to grow up small number of plants, which could be added to crew’s food. These are salads in general (Pekinese cabbage, etc). Optimal conditions of their growing are working out. Estimated that big greenhouse will be delivered to ISS. This greenhouse will permanently work and crews will have fresh salads on lunch. Final goal of these studies on plants and domestic animals growing should be creation of bio-technical life support system. Plants, besides their food value, will produce oxygen, will absorb carbonic acid thereby will partially renew atmospheric balance of space station.

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10. 10 SCIENTIFIC RESEARCHES ON THE ISS RUSSIAN SEGMENT BIO_MEDICAL RESEARCHES AND EXPERIIMENTS EXPERIMENT “PLANT-2” Scientific Advisor: Sytchev V.N. Goal: Realization of researches to solve questions of fundamental biology and optimization of plants cultivation procedures for future greenhouses as a part of prospective space life support systems. Objectives: Assembling and preparation of equipment to perform experiment. Study of features of greenhouse LADA plant unit water-air condition under space flight conditions. Study of cultivation technology of vegetables (Midzuna salad, Micro-Tom tiny tomatoes, tiny (red) pea) as applied to regular greenhouse units. Study of space flight factors on growth and development of plants, which are prospective for usage in space vitaminous conservatories. Study of plants germinating and vital ability. Study of plants development phenology. Study of plants reproductive function and getting of the second generation of space seed. Study of chemistry of plants and seed, grown in microgravity, to determine the percentage of nitrogenous compounds in vegetative biomass. Determination of ethylene concentration in ISS Russian segment atmosphere. Expected results: Evaluation of productive characteristics of legumes and leaf vegetables in microgravity, perfect of agrotechnical methods to advance technologies of close ecological life support system onboard of space vehicles.

11. 11 Scientific equipment: 1.Greenhouse “LADA”: - Control unit; - Lighthead; - Plant growing chamber; - Root module; - Water container. As a modular system Greenhouse “LADA” provides maximum of flexibility, its dimensions are four time less than dimensions of Greenhouse “Light” which was used onboard MIR Space Station. 2.Pouch “Outfits”. Used equipment: - Water container; - Intake SVO-3V; - Camcorder SONY DVCam to register crew activity with Greenhouse. Consumption: Pouch “Plants” - to return plants samples to Earth. Video tape.

12. 12 Greenhouse “LADA” - Control unit; - Lighthead; - Plants growing chamber; - Root-module