Tn. Ivanova et al., THE 1ST SPACE VEGETABLES HAVE BEEN GROWN IN THE SVET GREENHOUSE USINGCONTROLLED ENVIRONMENTAL-CONDITIONS, Acta astronautica, 29(8), 1993, pp. 639-644
The paper describes the ''SVET'' project-a new generation of space gre
enhouse with small dimensions. Through the use of a minicomputer, ''SV
ET'' is fully capable of automatically operating and controlling envir
onmental systems for higher plant growth. A number of preliminary stud
ies have shown the radish and cabbage to be potentially important crop
s for CELSS (Closed Environmental Life Support System). The ''SVET'' s
pace greenhouse was mounted on the ''CRYSTAL'' technological module do
cked to the Mir orbital space station on 10 June 1990. Soviet cosmonau
ts Balandin and Solovyov started the first experiments with the greenh
ouse on 15 June 1990. Preliminary results of seed cultivation over an
initial 54-day period in ''SVET'' are presented. Morphometrical charac
teristics of plants brought back to Earth are given. Alteration in pla
nt characteristics, such as growth and developmental changes, or morph
ological contents were noted. A crop of radish plants was harvested un
der microgravity conditions. Characteristics of plant environmental co
ntrol parameters and an estimation of functional properties of control
and regulation systems of the ''SVET'' greenhouse in space flight as
received via telemetry data is reported.