It is not the only challenge we face in the planning of a hypothetical manned trip to Mars, but it is one that raises quite a few concerns; ensuring that the astronauts have enough food for the entire trip is a major challenge and a team of researchers from the University of Guelph, in Ontario, are working in a LED technology to achieve this.
The team, led by Professor Mike Dixon of the University of Guelph, in Ontario, is working on a technology that solves one of the hundreds (or thousands) of problems involved in a trip to the Red Planet; the difficulty of building a ship capable of carrying astronauts while ensuring a sufficient supply of food and water throughout the trip.
That is precisely what this group of researchers wants to solve with its LED technology, which would allow astronauts to grow food in space with maximum efficiency. The project is being tested with various light wavelengths on different plants to see which one works best. Efficiency is the key, since the resources on a trip of this magnitude would be limited.
The team is attempting to optimise plant growth with LED technology, mainly due to its efficiency and low energy consumption. They explain that the large amount of light that can be generated with very little energy is perfect for places with limited resources. Now the key is to find the wavelength that allows plants to receive the amount of visible and ultraviolet light they need to grow.
Lettuce
Tests are currently being conducted with lettuce using different LED lamps, mainly due to its easy cultivation and rapid growth. Once the cultivation of this plant has been perfected, they will move on to other foods with more nutrients, such as tomatoes or strawberries. Professor Dixon believes that LED technology will make it possible to grow crops in space in about 15 or 20 years, coinciding, who knows, with the first trip to Mars.
Source: www.adslzone.net