Design Parameters for Mars Deployable Greenhouses 2001-01-2428

Concepts for landing missions on Mars often include greenhouse structures for plant production. The types of structures proposed vary from small automatically deployed structures for research purposes to larger structures that would be used for food production. Present plans are that greenhouses on Mars will be operated at internal pressures as low as 0.1 to 0.2 Earth atmospheres. Low internal pressures permit the use of structures with lower mass, but complicate the heat and mass transfer processes involved in maintaining a suitable environment for plant growth and raise questions about the requirements of plants for growth at low pressures.