Search Results

This paper discusses the development and testing of a high-output Fluorescent Light Module for use in the Commercial Plant Biotechnology Facility on board the International Space Station. Methods of optimizing the system efficiency of the light module are discussed. A detailed description of the design is presented. A proto flight unit has been tested and evaluated for photon flux output and thermal management.

A Commercial Plant Biotechnology Facility (CPBF) has been development by the Wisconsin Center of Space Automation and Robotics (WCSAR) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The purpose of the CPBF is to support long-term commercial and scientific plant research in a microgravity environment on-board the International Space Station (ISS). CPBF provides an enclosed, environmentally controlled plant growth chamber with controlled parameters of temperature, humidity, light intensity, atmospheric composition, and fluid nutrient delivery.