Summary of Operational Capabilities

The Porous Tube Insert Module (PTIM) is a spaceflight plant culture system which provides water delivery to plants grown on porous tubes and within a porous tube/substrate hybrid. The PTIM will be outfitted with a variety of moisture sensors that are capable of determining the wetness levels on the porous tube and within porous tube/substrate compartments. The moisture sensors will be used for active control of wetness levels, allowing the system to increase water delivery to the plants if moisture levels drop below levels adequate for plant development. Porous tubes materials are still under investigation, but will either be ceramic, stainless steel, or plastic. In addition, an imaging system is planned for incorporation into the system, but is still also currently under development. The imaging system will provide a view of plant growth allowing individual leaf growth rates to be calculated. The PTIM is intended to function as a modular component of BioServe's Plant Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (PGBA). The PGBA will maintain the appropriate environmental conditions for the plant growth including temperature, relative humidity, and lighting. This hardware arrangement is currently in development for the Water Offset Nutrient Delivery Experiment (WONDER) payload. The PTIM utilizes PGBA power for control of pumps and valves used in the delivery and removal of water on all porous tubes. PTIM software will allow crew interaction, via the PGBA, with the PTIM system's watering protocols. PTIM development is provided by the Bionetics Corporation at Kennedy Space Center.