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Crop production in space habitats is currently under consideration as part of an advanced life support system. The scenarios for crop production vary depending on the mission objectives. For a mission scenario such as the International Space Station (ISS), current efforts propose only salad crop production. However in order to grow salad crops, there is a need for plant nutrients (elements) such as N, P, K, Ca, etc., which constitutes about 10% of dry weight of the plant. Nitrogen and potassium are the major elements needed by salad crops and currently require resupply on Station. However, it is feasible that these macronutrients could be recovered through the waste materials generated by the crew. The proposed concepts are non-oxidative and simple in design. This paper considers the potential for reclaiming macronutrients from urine and gray water concentrates from water recovery systems.

The Human Research Facility (HRF) Workstation is a key computational element in the HRF data system architecture. The HRF Workstation consists of a stowed display, keyboard, archive media, cables, and an active four Panel Unit (PU) drawer with electrical, mechanical, thermal, and data interfaces to the EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station (EXPRESS) rack and the International Space Station (ISS). The four panel unit drawer, called the Workstation Computer Drawer, is the “heart” of the system and contains the processors, RAM, hard drives, interface boards, etc. The HRF Workstation will provide data collection, archive, downlink, display, video processing, graphics accelerator, user interface, and EXPRESS rack interfaces for experiment operation.

Scheduled for an initial launch in the first quarter of the year 2000, the Human Research Facility (HRF) will provide the first major pieces of biomedical research hardware for Life Sciences investigations on the International Space Station (ISS). The HRF will support scientific studies in the fields of biochemistry and metabolism, cardiopulmonary physiology, environmental sciences, human factors, musculoskeletal physiology, neurosciences, and psychology and behavior. To date, twenty seven experiments have been selected for further definition. HRF hardware will include a gas analyzing mass spectrometer, a body mass measurement device, an ultrasound machine, a computer workstation/data storage device, a strength measurement device, a range of motion suit, and a number of stowed hardware items.