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Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

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Mars

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Characterization Of Rhodopseudomonas Palustrus Strains For The Production Of Fixed Nitrogen Fertilizer For Mars, Daniel Kade Derrick May 2020

Characterization Of Rhodopseudomonas Palustrus Strains For The Production Of Fixed Nitrogen Fertilizer For Mars, Daniel Kade Derrick

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project was to characterize the potential of various strains of purple non-sulfur bacteria for the production of fixed nitrogen fertilizers for the manned Mars missions. Six strains of Rhodopseudomonas palustris (CGA009, CGA010, TIE-1, NifA*, and PB23) were all investigated. Through initial growth trial experiments, R. palustris NifA* and PB23 were selected for their engineered nitrogen fixation and rapid growth respectively. Growth curves and ammonium concentrations were collected over time in pilot scale batch photobioreactors (200 mL). Biomass production was then scaled up to benchtop photobioreactors (1.5 L) and then 14 L total volume for both NifA* …


Xhab Microgravity Food Growth Chamber, Nathan I. Stacey May 2016

Xhab Microgravity Food Growth Chamber, Nathan I. Stacey

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

NASA and other organizations are preparing to send humans deeper into space, including a NASA manned mission to Mars in the 2030s, in order to learn more about our universe and the origin of life and to ensure the survival of the human race. Long journeys in space require efficient, dependable, and sustainable methods to provide for astronauts' metabolic needs such as oxygen, water, and food. In order for microgravity plant growth chambers to become a viable solution, several challenges encountered by past growth chambers must be resolved.

One problem with existing space food growth chambers is hypoxia, or lack …