ASGSB 1999 Annual Meeting Abstracts

[6A]

CONTROLLED BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS: STUDENTS WORK TO EXPAND THE HORIZONS OF PLANT BIOLOGY AND ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT. G.D. Massa¹ and G. Koerner². ¹ Dept of Biology, Penn State University, and ² Dynamac Corporation, Kennedy Space Center, FL. KSC Investigators: J. Adams, M.P. Alazraki, P. Fowler, J. Garland, G. Goins, J. Judkins, H.G. Levine, LF. Levine, O. Monje, R. Strayer, L. Stryjewski, G. Stutte, and S. Young. Students: J.N. Claussй, N. Duggal, A.M. From, H. Jeffers, T.J. Johnson, K. Louie, N. Noorhasan, C. Paty, and D.M. Salvay.

Twenty-five undergraduate students participated in the fifteenth annual Space Life Sciences Training Program (SLSTP) held at Kennedy Space Center. Nine students worked with NASA scientists on experiments related to controlled biological systems (CBS). The CBS group encompasses plant gravitational and space biology, and aspects of advanced life support research. Experimentation by CBS students covered wide areas of the continuum necessary for successful plant based life support. Two students examined aspects of seed germination and plant growth, under conditions which might be found in space flight, such as elevated CO₂, and in future long duration manned missions, where surfactant solutions from recycled gray water may be used to support plant growth. One student worked to maximize germination in the porous tube plant nutrient delivery system (PTPNDS) space flight hardware. Three students explored the use and optimization of light emitting diode (LED) technology and its implications for salad crop growth and bacterial proliferation on leaf surfaces. One student performed shoot gravitropism analyses on radish seedlings as preliminary work for a future space shuttle experiment. Two students worked on closing the loop of plant production by experimenting with sensing technology and a variety of inoculum treatments to enhance composting of inedible biomass. In addition to lab activities students were exposed to seminars and tours encompassing all of the ongoing life science research at KSC and in other NASA and university programs. SLSTP is supported by NASA.

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