Growth Monitoring of Green Vegetables Cultured in a Centrifuge Phytotron

Understanding the role of gravity in the biological process of plants is one of most essential aspects in systematic development of Controlled Ecological Life Support or Controlled Bioregenerative Life Support components in space research. A broad parameter database for control and simulation is required for the development of such life support components with higher plants. These instrumentation systems may encompass non-invasive, automated, specific sensors to provide feedback for environmental control and ultimately for system management. Topics include engineering strategies for implementing the speaking plant approach to environmental control of a phytotron based on non-invasive plant growth monitoring system and development of a centrifuge phytotron which will be used to carry out higher plant culture research on the effects of gravity and its absence.