Category: Greenhab Report

GreenHab Report

Hernán David Mateus Jiménez

14/01/2018

Environmental control:

Ambient with door opening

Heating

Shade cloth on

Working Hour: 6:30
Inside temp at working hour: 17° C
Outside temp during working hours: 0° C
Inside temperature high: 30° C
Inside temperature low: 15 C
Inside humidity: 75 %RH

Inside humidity high: 75 %RH
Inside humidity low: 21 %RH

Hours of supplemental light:

For the crops 05:00 to 11:59 PM

Changes to crops: No changes

Daily water usage for crops: 8 gallons

Time(s) of watering for crops: 15 min

Research observations: The research has not started

Changes to research plants: The research has not started

Aquaponics: Not Functional

Narrative: Today I have started as the new Greenhab Officer in the station, I hope to continue maintaining it as beautiful as now. Thank you Mark.

During my first day, I have divided the crops in 8 regions in order to compare each day the changes using picture

Tomorrow I will start to assemble the lisimiter in order to start to measure evapotranspiration in the crop of quinoa that Atila plant at the Saturday. Also, I will check the inventory of the crops that Mark shared with me during the training.

Today during the irrigation, I realized that one of the sprinklers is broken.

GreenHab Report

Mark Gee

13Jan2018

Environmental control:

Heating

Shade cloth on

Ambient with door open

Working Hour: 06:40PM
Inside temp at working hour: 16 C
Outside temp during working hours: 2 C
Inside temperature high: 37 C
Inside temperature low: 15 C
Inside humidity: 88 %RH

Inside humidity high: 94 %RH
Inside humidity low: 16 %RH

Hours of supplemental light:

For the crops 05:00 to 11:59 PM

Changes to crops: Seeds are emerging rapidly.

Daily water usage for crops: 6 gallons

Time(s) of watering for crops: 03:00PM

Research observations: None

Changes to research plants: None

Aquaponics: Not in use.

Narrative: Today was my last day caring for the Greenhab. I feel proud of what I have done. An abundance of thriving plants were left to me and I have not only kept them alive, but brought some to harvest and left the future crews with even more than I was given. It has been fun to water the baby cucumbers knowing that some crew will be enjoying them a month from now.

For the next Greenhab officer, I would recommend starting by taking care of what has been left to you and at the half way point of your rotation seeding a small amount of many crops so that future crew can enjoy a diverse harvest. Below is a table of what is currently growing, actions taken, and notes on what needs to be done in the next two weeks. Everything should be watered every day. There is also an inventory of all supplies available at this time.

Name	Quantity	Growth Stage	Action	Notes
Dill Weed	2ft row, ~20 plants	Vegetative	Thinned plants to 1 inch spacing.	Can begin harvesting outer leaves for meals. Leave the center of the plants to regrow.
Rosemary	2ft row, ~20 plants	Seedling, 2 true leafs	Slow growing. It will be a long time before this is ready to harvest.
Parsley	2ft row, ~50 plants	Seedling, true leaf	Can thin to 1 inch spacing after Jan 20. Eat plants you pull.
Cilantro	2ft row, ~30 plants	Seedling, 3 true leafs	Thinned to 1 inch spacing	Should let plants establish 10 leaves before beginning harvest.
Oregano	2ft row, ~50 plants	Seedling, 2 true leafs	Can thin to 1 inch spacing after Jan 20. Eat plants you pull.
Sage	2ft row, ~10 plants	Seedling, 1 true leaf	Let grow.
Basil	2ft row, ~40 plants	Seedling, 1 true leaf	Can thin to 1 inch spacing after Jan 20. Eat plants you pull.
Thyme	2ft row, ~30 plants	Seedling, 3 true leafs	Let grow.
Chives	2ft row, ~20 plants	Seedling, 2 leafs	Let grow.
Lavender	2ft row	Seeds, not emerged	If no emergence by Jan 20, plant something else.
Spinach, Bloomsdale	3 pots, 16 plants.	Seedling, two true leafs.	Transplanted 06Jan2018	Let grow.
Spinach, Bloomsdale	4ft row	Seedling, cotyledon.	Planted 06Jan2018	Let grow.
Kale, Blue Curled Scotch	5 pots, ~50 plants	Seedling, 3 true leafs	Transplanted 06Jan2018	Let grow.
Cabbage, Golden Acre	1 seedling tray, ~20 plants	Seedling, 2 true leafs	Need transplanting by Jan 15.
Moringa Olifera	14 plots	Seeds, no emergence	Repurpose pots with Capcom approval.
Paperwhites	3 pots, seven plants	Various, sprouted to flowering	Move to the habitat for your enjoyment.
Beans, Pole	27 plants	3ft vines, producing flowers and pods	Harvest beans when they reach at least 3 inches and you can feel the beans inside.
Cucumber	23 plants, 7 pots	3ft vines, producing flowers and fruit	Let grow.
Melon	8 plants	2ft vines, no flowers	Let grow.
Peppers	9 pots, 23 plants	8 inches, vegetative	Let grow.
Tomatoes	39 pots, 57 plants	6in-48in tall, some flowering	Transplanted 05Jan2018	Use cages to support tomato branches. Make sure plants are growing up through the cages.
Radish	1 pot, three plants	Vegetative, 1ft tall	Harvest after Jan 20.
Radish sprouts	6 sq ft	Seedling, cotyledon.	Planted 04Jan2018	Harvest Jan 14.
Swiss Chard	1 starter container	Seedling, cotyledon.	Planted 06Jan2018	Let grow. Thin if needed.
Scallions	5 starter containers	Seeds, no emergence	Planted 06Jan2018	If no emergence by Jan 20, plant something else
Onion	8 starter containers	Seeds, no emergence	Planted 06Jan2018	If no emergence by Jan 20, plant something else
Broccoli	1 starter container	Seeds, no emergence	Planted 06Jan2018	If no emergence by Jan 20, plant something else
Carrot	6 starter containers, 4 pots	Seeds, no emergence	Planted 06Jan2018	If no emergence by Jan 20, plant something else
Lettuce, Romaine	1 starter container, 1 ft row	Seedlings, cotyledon	Planted 06Jan2018	Thin to 1 inch spacing after Jan 25. Eat plants you pull. Transplant if needed.
Lettuce, Red Leaf	1 starter container, 1 ft row	Seedlings, cotyledon	Planted 06Jan2018	Thin to 1 inch spacing after Jan 25. Eat plants you pull. Transplant if needed.
Lettuce, Black Seeded Simpson	2 starter containers, 1 ft row	Seedlings, cotyledon	Planted 06Jan2018	Thin to 1 inch spacing after Jan 25. Eat plants you pull. Transplant if needed.
Lettuce, sprouts misc.	2 sq ft	Seedlings, cotyledon	Planted 06Jan2018	Harvest as microgreens after Jan 25. Save a few plants and grow to maturity.
Lettuce, Bibb	1 sq ft	Seedlings, cotyledon	Planted 06Jan2018	Harvest as microgreens after Jan 25. Save a few plants and grow to maturity.
Mustard	1 pot	Seedlings, cotyledon	Planted 06Jan2018	Harvest as microgreens after Jan 25. Save a few plants and grow to maturity.
Quinoa, Red Sprouting	2 sq ft	Seeds, no emergence	Threw away.	These seeds did not grow and were thrown away.
Zennia

…

GreenHab Report

Mark Gee

12Jan2018

Environmental control:

Cooling with vent

Heating

Shade cloth on

Working Hour: 07:40PM
Inside temp at working hour: 19 C
Outside temp during working hours: 2 C
Inside temperature high: 31 C
Inside temperature low: 16 C
Inside humidity: 33 %RH

Inside humidity high: 49 %RH
Inside humidity low: 25 %RH

Hours of supplemental light:

For the crops 05:00 to 11:59 PM

Changes to crops: Harvested radish microgreens, lettuce, green beans, dill, and cilantro.

Daily water usage for crops: 22 gallons

Time(s) of watering for crops: 03:30PM

Research observations: Harvested microgreen experiment and for each treatment measured mass harvested, volume harvested, and size of plants.

Changes to research plants: Microgreen experiment is complete.

Aquaponics: Not in use.

Narrative: Today was harvest day! For the crops we harvested 580g of radish microgreens, a bowl of lettuce leaves, a fistfull of greenbeans, a handful of dill, and a sprinkle of cilantro. The other crops are growing well and should produce a bountiful harvest for crews to follow.

The microgreen experiment was harvested and has concluded successfully. It is too early for results, but keep an eye out for the upcoming report.

I have been making an effort to characterize the Greenhab and will be synthesizing my observations into a cohesive document. As a sneak peak, the figure tracking the temperature and humidity in the habitat throughout the day will be included in the Mission Summary as an image. 

GreenHab Report

Mark Gee

11Jan2018

Environmental control:

Heating

Shade cloth on)

Working Hour: 06:30PM Inside temp at working hour: 17 C Outside temp during working hours: 3 C Inside temperature high: 33 C Inside temperature low: 16 C Inside humidity: 39 %RH

Inside humidity high: 41 %RH Inside humidity low: 16 %RH

Hours of supplemental light:

For the crops 05:00 to 11:59 PM

Changes to crops: The tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, herbs, peppers, and melons keep growing. The microgreens have taken off and will be ready to harvest tomorrow. Of the seeds planted, the arugula, mustard, and various lettuce varieties have sprouted.

Daily water usage for crops: 15 gallons

Time(s) of watering for crops: 11:00AM, 06:30PM

Research observations: The microgreens have recovered from the early damage and are sprouting magnificently. Tomorrow they will be harvested.

Changes to research plants: None.

Aquaponics: Not in use.

Narrative: Today I watered the plants as usual and inventoried the tools, fertilizer, pots, and supplies.

The grow lights turned on at 02:00 pm. The analog timer has been gaining time steadily, as do the clocks on the electronic appliances in the Hab. These clocks probably use the frequency of the alternating current power supply to keep time as is common in most appliances. The standard frequency for an electrical grid in the US is 60 Hz, and our crew engineer observed that the generator is supplying power at 60.18 Hz. This increased frequency would cause the clocks to gain time at approximately the rate we are observing. See Sol 1 summary for a further explanation.

To compensate for this gain, the light timer needs to be reset every day.

Support/supplies needed: Scale with a capacity of 2 kg. The analog scale in the Science Dome has a capacity of 610g. Needed for experiments tomorrow.

GreenHab Report

Mark Gee

10Jan2018

Environmental control:

Heating

Shade cloth on

Working Hour: 06:50PM

Inside temp at working hour: 18 C

Outside temp during working hours: 0 C

Inside temperature high: 26 C

Inside temperature low: 15 C

Inside humidity: 46 %RH

Inside humidity high: 60 %RH

Inside humidity low: 34 %RH

Hours of supplemental light:

For the crops 05:00 to 11:59 PM

Changes to crops: Microgreens almost ready to harvest. Spinach is growing rapidly. Cucumbers continue to produce fruit. Beans near harvest. Tomatoes are flowering but no fruit set. Sprouts are emerging from the seeds planted a few days ago.

Daily water usage for crops: 10 gallons

Time(s) of watering for crops: 06:30PM

Research observations: Microgreens are growing rapidly. No change to tomatoes sprayed with moringa extract.

Changes to research plants: None.

Aquaponics: Not in use.

Narrative: Growing up, we learn to fear bees because of their sting, then to like them because of their honey. But we should treasure them for their work as pollinators. Bees and other insects perform the critical task of transferring pollen from flower to flower. Without this transfer by insect, many crops would not produce fruit because their pollen will not blow in the wind. Some crops, namely the Cucurbitacea family of pumpkins, melons, squash and cucumbers, have co-evolved with their own species of bees that specialize in pollinating these crops. Almond farmers will actually pay beekeepers to bring their bees into the almond orchard while the trees are flowering to help ensure that there will be a bountiful harvest.

Unfortunately, there are no bees on Mars.

To make up for this, I put on my bee suit in the Green Hab today, plucked a male flower from a cucumber plant, and buzzed from cucumber to cucumber, sprinkling pollen in the flower as I went. It took effort and patience.

There are many natural resources that we do not appreciate until they are gone. Surviving on a new planet will be challenging and full of surprising realizations of how much we are missing back on Earth.

Support/supplies needed: I have several questions of general interest.

Is the water supply from Hanksville drawn out of a well, river, or something else?

What are the heater control settings? What temperature is it set to turn on and what temperature for off?

What is to be done with used potting soil?

Is the shade cloth a 60/40 cloth? Is there a better way to describe how much shade it gives?

GreenHab Report
Mark Gee
09Jan2018

Environmental control:
Heating
Shade cloth on

Working Hour: 06:15PM
Inside temp at working hour: 18 C
Outside temp during working hours: UNK
Inside temperature high: 24 C
Inside temperature low: 16 C
Inside humidity: 40 %RH
Inside humidity high: 48 %RH
Inside humidity low: 28 %RH

Hours of supplemental light:
For the crops 05:00 to 11:59 PM

Changes to crops: Quinoa seeds did not germinate and rotted in the tray. Threw them away. The past days have been very cold and cloudy. Nothing has germinated yet.

Daily water usage for crops: 6.5 gallons

Time(s) of watering for crops: 10:00AM, 06:15PM

Research observations: Microgreens seem to be growing much better in the shady environment. Maybe the full sunlight was scorching them.

Changes to research plants: Applied fertilizer to microgreens.

Aquaponics: Not in use.

Narrative: Watering needs to be as efficient as possible in a Martian habitat. But after I finish watering, I often look around and see a water on the floor.
Some of the water comes directly from accidental spilling becase the spout of the watering can holds water and drips when turned upright. This waste could be eliminated with a differently designed spout or by using something crazy like a giant syringe so that no water is relesed unintentionally.

Most of the leakage comes from water that is poured into the pot and flows quickly through macropores in the soil and out the pot before there is time to soak in. This is a tricky problem to solve. The macropores are a beneficial part of soil structure and should not be removed by compacting the soil. If I water less so that less water flows through the pores, the plants might not get enough water.

We are currently trying to reduce this waste by growing plants on vertical shelving so that the plants below can catch the water leaked by the plants above. But this is not a perfect system. Another option is to install trays beneath every plant so that the leakage can be captured and recycled. It is uncertain how much labor this method would require and how much of the water would evaporate before it could be reused. A third way to reduce this waste would be to use drip irrigation tape that continually releases water into the soil at a slow rate. This would increase water use efficiency and also reduce the labor requirements for the astronauts. However, an adjustable drip tape would have to be invented so the same tape could be used with different crops. And it may not be feasible to rocket yards and yards of drip tape to Mars.

For now, I will stick with my watering can.

Support/supplies needed: None

GreenHab Report
Mark Gee
08Jan2018

Environmental control:
Heating

Shade cloth on

Working Hour: 05:45PM
Inside temp at working hour: 18 C
Outside temp during working hours: 0 C
Inside temperature high: 25 C
Inside temperature low: No Data
Inside humidity: 35 %RH
Inside humidity high: 61 %RH
Inside humidity low: 23 %RH

Hours of supplemental light:
For the crops 05:00 to 11:59 PM

Changes to crops: Kale plants are developing true leaves. The sky has been very cloudy and the plants used very little moisture today.

Daily water usage for crops: 4 gallons

Time(s) of watering for crops: 09:30AM, 04:00PM

Research observations: For the moringa experiment, the plants sprayed with moringa extract seem to be taller. The microgreens are not growing well. I will fertilize them tomorrow.

Changes to research plants: None.

Aquaponics: Not in use.

Narrative: Today I served as the communications officer for the EVA and did not spend much time in the Green Hab.

Support/supplies needed: None.

GreenHab Report
Mark Gee
07Jan2018

Environmental control:
Cooling with vent open

Heating

Shade cloth on

Working Hour: 05:45PM
Inside temp at working hour: 18 C
Outside temp during working hours: 2 C
Inside temperature high: 31 C
Inside temperature low: 15 C
Inside humidity: 24 %RH
Inside humidity high: 36 %RH
Inside humidity low: 16 %RH

Hours of supplemental light:
For the crops 05:00 to 11:59 PM

Changes to crops: Radish sprouts are growing quickly. Spinach survived transplanting.

Daily water usage for crops: 8 gallons

Time(s) of watering for crops: 09:30AM, 05:00PM

Research observations: The microgreens seem to have poor emergence relative to the microgreens in the crop section of the Greenhab. This could be attributed to the better environment in the crop section or the surface sterilization treatment the research seeds received.

Changes to research plants: None

Aquaponics: Not in use

Narrative: Not much happened today. The plants are slow and take time to grow. The old Green Hab used to have a “Zen Garden” to help crew members relax, but the current crop production system seems to be serving a similar purpose. Justin, the crew journalist, stopped by to enjoy the plants, warm air, and humidity. There is something about being surrounded by green that is reassuring, and the flowers on the crops are especially beautiful because they hold the promise of treasure not yet tasted.

Support/supplies needed: None.

GreenHab Report

Mark Gee

06Jan2018

Environmental control:

Heating

Shade cloth on

Working Hour: 05:40 PM
Inside temp at working hour: 20 C
Outside temp during working hours: -3 C
Inside temperature high: 22 C
Inside temperature low: 15 C
Inside humidity: 25 %RH

Inside humidity high: 32 %RH
Inside humidity low: 16 %RH

Hours of supplemental light:

For the crops 05:00 to 11:59 PM

Changes to crops: There have been two cloudy days in a row, so the crops did not require much water. Used all of the remaining tomato cages to support the larger tomato plants. Seeded several crops. Used the old seed to see what will grow. If there is no germination, newer seed packs will be used.

Below is an updated inventory of all of the crops, quantity, growth stage, actions taken, and notes.

Name	Quantity	Growth Stage	Action	Notes
Dill Weed	2ft row, ~40 plants	Seedling, 5 true leaves		Quick growing. Needs thinning.
Rosemary	2ft row, ~20 plants	Seedling, 1 true leaf		Slow growing.
Parsley	2ft row, ~50 plants	Seedling, 1 true leaf		Moderate growth. Needs thinning.
Cilantro	2ft row, ~40 plants	Seedling, 2 true leafs		Moderate growth
Oregano	2ft row, ~100 plants	Seedling, cotyledon	Spaced seedlings.	Slow growth.
Sage	2ft row, ~10 plants	Seedling, 1 true leaf		Moderate growth.
Basil	2ft row, ~40 plants	Seedling, 1 true leaf		Moderate growth. Needs thinning.
Thyme	2ft row, ~30 plants	Seedling, 2 true leafs		Slow growth.
Chives	2ft row, ~20 plants	Seedling, 1 leaf		Slow growth
Lavender	2ft row	Seeds, not emerged	Seeded plants.	Previous planting did not grow.
Spinach, Bloomsdale	3 pots, 16 plants.	Seedling, one true leaf.	Transplanted 06Jan2018
Spinach, Bloomsdale	4ft row	Seeds, not emerged	Planted 06Jan2018
Kale, Blue Curled Scotch	5 pots, ~50 plants	Seedling, one true leaf	Transplanted 06Jan2018
Cabbage, Golden Acre	1 seedling tray, ~20 plants	Seedlings, cotyledons		Need transplanting
Moringa Olifera	14 plots	Seeds, no emergence		These are trees. Should they be grown in the small Greenhab?
Paperwhites	3 pots, seven plants	Various, sprouted to flowering		Smell fragrant
Beans, Pole	27 plants	3ft vines, producing flowers and pods		Harvest at end of rotation.
Cucumber	23 plants, 7 pots	3ft vines, producing flowers and fruit
Melon	8 plants	2ft vines, no flowers		Slow growth.
Peppers	9 pots, 23 plants	8 inches, vegetative		Slow growth
Tomatoes	39 pots, 57 plants	6in-48in tall, some flowering	Transplanted 05Jan2018	Do we need this many tomato plants?
Radish	1 pot, three plants	Vegetative, 1ft tall
Radish sprouts	6 sq ft	Seedling, cotyledons	Planted 04Jan2018	Seedlings should be harvested around 17Jan2018.
Swiss Chard	1 starter container	Seeds, no emergence	Planted 06Jan2018
Scallions	5 starter containers	Seeds, no emergence	Planted 06Jan2018
Onion	8 starter containers	Seeds, no emergence	Planted 06Jan2018
Broccoli	1 starter container	Seeds, no emergence	Planted 06Jan2018
Carrot	6 starter containers, 4 pots	Seeds, no emergence	Planted 06Jan2018
Lettuce, Romaine	1 starter container, 1 ft row	Seeds, no emergence	Planted 06Jan2018
Lettuce, Red Leaf	1 starter container, 1 ft row	Seeds, no emergence	Planted 06Jan2018
Lettuce, Black Seeded Simpson	2 starter containers, 1 ft row	Seeds, no emergence	Planted 06Jan2018
Lettuce, sprouts misc.	2 sq ft	Seeds, no emergence	Planted 06Jan2018
Lettuce, Bibb	1 sq ft	Seeds, no emergence	Planted 06Jan2018
Mustard	1 pot	Seeds, no emergence	Planted 06Jan2018
Quinoa, Red Sprouting	2 sq ft	Seeds, no emergence	Planted 06Jan2018
Zennia	1 pot	Seeds, no emergence	Planted 06Jan2018
Arugula	2 starter containers, 2 ft row	Seeds, no emergence	Planted 04Jan2018

Daily water usage for crops: 5 gallons

Time(s) of watering for crops: 05:30PM

Research observations: Sprayed moringa experiment with moringa extract as directed. Microgreen sprouts are growing well.

Changes to research plants: None.

Aquaponics: Not in use.

Narrative: The larger tomato plants were starting to lean over, so I used all of the cages available to support as many plants as possible. The rest of the tomatoes will need cages soon, as will the vining cucumbers. The cucumber plants have already started climbing the shade cloth and lighting cables in their quest to take over.

To maximize the efficiency of the Green Hab, it is important to select crops that are suited to greenhouse production and to space out plantings of crops to ensure steady yields. For future Green Hab officers, I would recommend against planting things like melons that can require up to 75 sq ft per plant and have a 10 ft long tap root that is not easily accommodated in a pot. The 50+ tomato plants seem to have been planted at the same time, which means that they will start yielding at the same time. Hopefully the crew on rotation can freeze some tomato sauce for future crews to use.

To bring more crop variety to the Green Hab, I planted carrots, onions, broccoli, scallion, three varieties of lettuce, Swiss chard, arugula, quinoa, and mustard. These were the seeds available, but many are also fast growing crops that have high yields in a greenhouse environment. I used the oldest seed packets, and will replant with newer seed if nothing grows. If future officers continue plantings every two weeks, then there should be a bountiful and regular harvest for every crew.

Support/supplies needed: 50 more tomato cages will be needed to support all of the tomatoes and cucumbers currently growing in the greenhouse. All of the cages we have are in use.

GreenHab Report

Mark Gee

05Jan2018

Environmental control:

Heating

Shade Cloth On

Working Hour: 06:30 PM
Inside temp at working hour: 16 C
Outside temp during working hours: -4 C
Inside temperature high: 29 C
Inside temperature low: 14 C
Inside humidity: 30 %RH

Inside humidity high: 32 %RH
Inside humidity low: 16 %RH

Hours of supplemental light:

For the crops 05:00 to 11:59 PM

Changes to crops: Transplanted tomatos are growing well. Kale sprouts have grown their first leaves. Cucumbers are flowering profusely and baby cucs abound. Watered all crops with MiracleGrow at a concentration of 1tsp/gal as recommended by the supplier. Next fertilization date is 19Jan2018.

Daily water usage for crops: 8 gallons

Time(s) of watering for crops: 06:30 PM

Research observations: Moringa experiment is growing well. Microgreens have radicles and cotyledons that are turning green.

Changes to research plants: I accidentally watered two of the tomato plants with the MiracleGrow, so I moved these plants into normal crop production.

Aquaponics: Not Functional

Narrative: Clouds obscured the sun all day and kept the Green Hab at a moderate temperature. I was on an EVA all day and did not have much time to spend inside. Tomorrow I will be seeding several vegetables for future crews to enjoy.

Support/supplies needed: None