Aluminum profiles in ice
Vegetables for astronauts come from Antarctica
Fresh fruit and vegetables for astronauts - that is the aim of the Eden ISS project. A greenhouse with special systems for growing plants has been set up in the Antarctic for this purpose. Right in the middle: Item profiles including connection technology for a shelving system.
The research project in Antarctica serves as preparation for food cultivation on the International Space Station (ISS). Fourteen international organizations, universities, research institutes and companies joined forces in 2015 to form the Eden-ISS consortium to design and build a greenhouse for future planetary expeditions. It was led by the Institute of Space Systems, which has been developing concepts for space missions at the DLR site in Bremen since 2007.
Together, the project partners designed a mobile test facility consisting of two six-metre-long containers. To set up the containers, the institute used Item components from the MB Building Kit System, among others. "We have been working with Item products at our institute in Bremen for a number of years and have had very good experiences so far," says one of the project managers from the DLR Institute of Space Systems. "The assembly of laboratory equipment is simple and easy to understand - practically all of our employees can work with the system without long training phases."
For the greenhouse in Antarctica, the institute constructed a shelf made of aluminum profiles and matching connecting elements with 21 levels. Each shelf offers space for two plastic boxes arranged next to each other, in which the vegetable and fruit plants grow. "We are currently cultivating around 200 plants," reports the DLR project manager. "So far, we have mainly harvested lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes - on average between four and five kilograms of vegetables per week." While the plants are in one container, a service area for laboratory work with supply systems and a workstation has been set up in the second container.
Transportation through several climate zones
Since the start of the project in 2015, there have been different variants for the superstructures inside the container. "We set up 90 percent of the containers at DLR in Bremen and finally transported them to their destination after a three-month test phase," explains the project manager. "The containers contained some sensitive systems, such as LED lamps, which were exposed to great risk on such a journey through several climate zones with frequent reloading. We therefore placed high stability requirements on the racking system."
Item offers a solution for this: the profiles and connections enable permanently strong and stable constructions - even under high loads. As a result, measuring systems and other technical equipment arrived safely at their destination in the ice after the long journey from Bremen via Cape Town to Antarctica and remained undamaged. The two containers were assembled and connected to each other on a weatherproof platform approximately 400 meters south of Neumayer Station III in January 2018.
Components used ensure stability
The shelving system is attached to both sides of the container and consists mainly of Series 6 aluminum profiles and corresponding automatic connection and bracket sets. Compared to welded systems, this variant is lighter but at the same time robust. The strong hold is achieved by the preload in the flanks of the aluminum profiles, which is generated when the profile connections are bolted together. The design thus offers reliable stability for the duration of use. The anodized surfaces do not oxidize and are easy to clean. item trunking profiles with matching item cover profiles are used for laying cables and hoses. This keeps the cables safe and protected.
DLR also uses an Item SystemMobil as a work trolley. A lightweight and sturdy frame, combined with three load-bearing trays and an ergonomically positioned push handle, ensures that all the equipment required for growing the plants is mobile. The robust transport trolley can also be moved without tipping when loaded. With additional holders for tools and other accessories, this work trolley can be flexibly adapted to the respective areas of use and work processes. Thanks to its compact design and smooth-running castors, it can be easily moved forwards and backwards in the narrow aisle between the two shelves.
The researchers also rely on the Item modular systems for the service area in the neighboring container. The fact that Item has numerous sales partners in several countries proved to be an advantage. "The service and work area is an interface, as our partners from Italy and Canada, for example, contributed their own systems," says the project manager. "Because the project participants from the different countries also relied on the Item components, we were able to simply combine the individual systems and components in Bremen in advance. This made our work much easier." as
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