How do we grow more food with less? Less land, less water, and less inputs all under the stressful conditions of a changing climate. So many innovations, both applied and fundamental, have come from research into space and space exploration and maybe the solutions to the challenges facing agriculture will come from beyond our terrestrial home. Bayer Crop Science is excited to partner with the University of Arizona’s Space Analog for the Moon and Mars (SAM) at Biosphere 2 to push the boundaries of agriculture research in the controlled environment.
Space Analog for the Moon and Mars (SAM) is a hermetically sealed habitat located at the renowned University of Arizona Biosphere 2. SAM provides a unique, powerful environment in which to conduct a multitude of studies including mechanical and plant-based life support, plant biology and food cultivar research, and human-in-the-loop microbiome studies.
SAM integrates the Biosphere 2 prototype Test Module greenhouse (TM) with an adjacent crew quarters with workshop, kitchen, common area, and private sleeping accommodations. The TM provides hydroponic and soil-based grow environments, controlled lighting, humidity, heating and cooling. A mechanical CO2 scrubber and bioregenerative life support system work in concert to provide clean air and water.
For more information about SAM: https://samb2.space/
Deadline: July 31, 2022
The funding will be available to be used towards research costs at the SAM @Biosphere2 habitat research facility at University of Arizona (in the form of a facility credit). Funding is proposal-dependent and typically ranges from $10,000 to $20,000. Researchers are responsible for their own travel costs (and experiment costs that exceed the facility credit).