Autonomous cultivation system for nano platforms: the GreenCube mission

Paper number

IAC-22,B4,6B,4,x73614

Author

Dr. Paolo Marzioli, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Ms. Michela Boscia, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Mr. Sidhant Kumar, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Mr. Alessandro Moretti, Italy, University of Rome “La Sapienza”

Coauthor

Mr. Lorenzo Frezza, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Mr. Diego Amadio, Italy, Sapienza - University of Rome

Coauthor

Dr. Luca Gugliermetti, Italy, ENEA - Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development

Coauthor

Dr. Luca Nardi, Italy, ENEA - Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development

Coauthor

Dr. Antonio Pannico, Italy, University of Naples "Federico II"

Coauthor

Dr. Eugenio Benvenuto, Italy, ENEA - Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development

Coauthor

Dr. Marta Del Bianco, Italy, Italian Space Agency (ASI)

Coauthor

Prof. Stefania De Pascale, Italy, University of Naples "Federico II"

Coauthor

Ms. Silvia Mari, Italy, ASI - Italian Space Agency

Coauthor

Dr. Fabrizio Piergentili, Italy, Sapienza University of Rome

Coauthor

Mr. Gabriele Impresario, Italy, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI)

Year

2022

Abstract

Nowadays, the growing interest in long-term space exploration missions targeting permanent bases on Moon and Mars requires the development of technologies for in autonomous production of nutrients, food and resources to support human life in outer space. In this framework, “ready to fly” experiments hostable in small satellite platforms can greatly support the ongoing research on the optimization of human nutrition and space cultivation.  
The GreenCube mission is a 3U CubeSat project developed by the S5Lab (Sapienza Space Systems and Space Surveillance Laboratory) research group, together with ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development) and University of Naples Federico II (Department of Agricultural Sciences).  The project is coordinated by the Italian Space Agency (ASI). 
The mission is aimed at demonstrating the functionalities of an autonomous miniaturized cultivation system on-board a CubeSat platform. Two units of the CubeSat (200x100x100 mm) will be dedicated to the cultivation of microgreens. In this cultivation unit, a variety of low-cost technologies will assure pressurization and air pressure monitoring, air composition sensing, temperature monitoring and control, water and nourishment management, circadian cycles reproduction and cultivar monitoring through optical sensors. The majority of these components are based on Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) units that have been prototyped and qualified for space. The mission has been developed and qualified for spaceflight between 2020 and 2022 and it will be launched with the maiden Vega-C flight in mid-2022. More than 10 growth experiments has been performed during the functional tests in order to assure the well-functioning of the payload unit. If successful, the demonstration conducted by GreenCube will suggest a further implementation of the same cultivation unit design for further in-orbit experiments. 
This paper will deal with the GreenCube satellite design and qualification, as well as with the implemented technologies on-board the CubeSat. After an introductive section related to the mission, the payload, bus and interfaces design will be described, an overview on the functional and environmental tests will be provided and future perspectives for the developed units will be presented.

Abstract document

IAC-22,B4,6B,4,x73614.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-22,B4,6B,4,x73614.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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