FIRST OBSERVATIONS REGARDING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF GROWING VEGETABLES DURING A MANNED MARS MISSION SIMULATION AT THE MARS DESERT RESEARCH STATION
- Paper ID
IAC_03_IAA_10_3_04
- author
- company
Microgravity Projects Division
- country
The Netherlands
- year
2003
- abstract
The amount of food to bring and eventually to produce on Mars during a manned mission and the psychological aspect for a human crew to be cut from an earth-like environment and to live and work in an isolated environment are still debated. Design considerations of a greenhouse as part of a Martian human settlement include, beside growing vegetables for consumption, the possibility for astronauts to attend plants and relax in a garden-like area, possibly reminiscent of an earthly environment.. During international simulation campaigns of manned Martian missions organized by The Mars Society, several human crews lived and worked in confined isolation. International crews of mixed gender and professional qualifications conducted various scientific and operational tasks as Martian crews would. Operations were conducted as they would be during a Martian mission, including delays in radio communications and Extra-Vehicular Activities (EVA) with specially designed unpressurized suits. During a two week simulation of a manned Mars mission at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), four different sort of vegetables have been grown for 12 days in the manned Habitat and in a detached experimental greenhouse accessible during simulated EVA’s. The six crew members were asked to partici-pate in the observation and reporting of the germination and growth process. At the end of the simulation, vegetables were harvested and consumed by the crew. The crew members were asked to comment on the taste and their feelings about eating this home grown production. This paper summarizes first the activities of seed planting, growing and harvesting conducted during the simulation; second, the observations on psychological impact on the crew of growing plants during isolation in the manned Habitat and in the greenhouse; and third, the crew assessment on their appreciation of the vegetable consumption on the last evening. Indications and suggestions for design of plant growing facilities in future Martian Habitat are given in conclusion.