Good afternoon!
Well it turns out that I wanna make a project that helps the astronauts with the variety of problems they have with food-
So, I thought I can find aout a way to grow plants in mars, but I don't know how to replicate the mars' environment to test my project.
What can I do?
Astrobiology/Food Science project
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17eugenekim
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Re: Astrobiology/Food Science project
Hello and welcome to Science Buddies!
I think this is a fascinating research question! However I do want to clarify what you are thinking. When you say "find a way to grow plants in mars," is this about growing plant life under Martian conditions (like with Martian soil), or is this about creating a suitable horticulture habitat on Mars (e.g. building an Earth-like greenhouse)? It is well worth it to slow down, take a step back, and consider exactly what your experiment parameters are, and what the boundaries of your proposed problem are.
Either way I suspect fully replicating Martian conditions will be difficult and expensive. I suggest starting by asking the question, "what exactly is the Martian environment?" Look for resources on the Internet that might tell you what the soil is like, what kind of water you would have access to, and maybe even what atmospheric conditions you would be using. From there, you can narrow your project down into a manageable scope, for instance just looking at Martian soil conditions and seeing how plants might be able to grow in them.
Whatever you do, in a project like this, background research will be crucial as it will set the basis for what you are testing. That said, you don't have to try and perfectly replicate Martian conditions - after all, this is a rather complicated problem. Again, look at what variables you would be testing or manipulating (what aspect of Martian soil are you looking at?), and work from there.
Hope that was helpful. We're happy to help with additional questions!
I think this is a fascinating research question! However I do want to clarify what you are thinking. When you say "find a way to grow plants in mars," is this about growing plant life under Martian conditions (like with Martian soil), or is this about creating a suitable horticulture habitat on Mars (e.g. building an Earth-like greenhouse)? It is well worth it to slow down, take a step back, and consider exactly what your experiment parameters are, and what the boundaries of your proposed problem are.
Either way I suspect fully replicating Martian conditions will be difficult and expensive. I suggest starting by asking the question, "what exactly is the Martian environment?" Look for resources on the Internet that might tell you what the soil is like, what kind of water you would have access to, and maybe even what atmospheric conditions you would be using. From there, you can narrow your project down into a manageable scope, for instance just looking at Martian soil conditions and seeing how plants might be able to grow in them.
Whatever you do, in a project like this, background research will be crucial as it will set the basis for what you are testing. That said, you don't have to try and perfectly replicate Martian conditions - after all, this is a rather complicated problem. Again, look at what variables you would be testing or manipulating (what aspect of Martian soil are you looking at?), and work from there.
Hope that was helpful. We're happy to help with additional questions!
Re: Astrobiology/Food Science project
Regards!
Well, I meant to be able to plant directly on the soil of Mars, but I prefer the idea of how to install a kind of greenhouse.
I think I could do a project to create an aquaponic system that can be sustained on Mars. I like this approach more. What do you think?
I'll go to investigate what you told me meanwhile.
see you!
Well, I meant to be able to plant directly on the soil of Mars, but I prefer the idea of how to install a kind of greenhouse.
I think I could do a project to create an aquaponic system that can be sustained on Mars. I like this approach more. What do you think?
I'll go to investigate what you told me meanwhile.
see you!
Re: Astrobiology/Food Science project
Hey!
Well, I have already been researching and I want my idea to be about a greenhouse that can trap oxygen from the plants in some way, I just have to see how.
Also as theoretically I would have to make my greenhouse so that the plants resist the radiation and the atmospheric pressure of Mars
Well, I have already been researching and I want my idea to be about a greenhouse that can trap oxygen from the plants in some way, I just have to see how.
Also as theoretically I would have to make my greenhouse so that the plants resist the radiation and the atmospheric pressure of Mars