An Aeroponic Technology for Microgravity Plant Experiments on Earth

To support space science research and experiment in space, a plenty of advanced innovation has been developed for overcome functional under weightless conditions in the Earthbound laboratories. An aeroponics system is a process of growing plants in an air environment by using nutrient solution recirculation, plants raise without soil or medium. Regarding to contribute space living which must be operated in limited area, the aeroponic is a suitable process to operate on the international space station. To test the feasibility of microgravity aeroponic planting experiment on the earth, a design of clinostat is necessary and well-known apparatus on ground test microgravity simulation. In this paper, a three-axis clinostat is designed and simulated for weightlessness. The clinostat movement is also presented by the rotation axes simulation including power requirements to operate the 3-axis motor. Control system of the factors that affect to growing rate such as temperature, humidity, watering system, gas and light, is determined for aeroponic system as well. The trajectory path of an object inside the clinostat is presented to show the gravity exerting on the object overtime.