CHALLENGER'S LOST LESSONS - ER - NASA

8Hydroponics in Space LessonAboard the Zero-G Aircraft, Christa Applies Misting to Chamber 6which will hold a Mung BeanAnother major problem was that of providing a substrate forthe plants that would allow for growth while keeping the fertilizerfluid where it belonged. A number of ideas were tested with the helpof volunteers such as Cheryl Barnard, an undergraduate student atthe University of Houston, and John St. John, an eighth grade studentfrom Friendswood, Texas, The final design consists of a 1/2-inchlayer of polyester fiber sandwiched between two lexan rings. Nylonmesh was glued to the upper side of the bottom ring to hold the fiber.The rings are separated by two stainless steel tubes 1/2-inch long.Two screws fit through the tubes to hold the platform together. Twolonger screws secure the platform to the top of the 2-inch diametercylinder. The seed is nestled into the fiber. This configuration wasaccepted for its relatively simple design, keeping in mind the factthat to be cost effective on a large scale, such as in the Space Station,the simplest workable system would be desirable.