USU Space Dynamics Laboratory cuts costs in outer space
The Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory can provide fresh vegetables in outer space while cutting down on expenses, with a project called LADA.
“LADA is the make of a cheap Russian car,” said Shane Topham, a graduate student majoring in electrical engineering.
The project was named LADA, because the group wanted to keep the project cheap, Topham said, LADA has been worked on by many students at USU.
The project consists of growth chambers and control boxes. On the International Space Station, wheat is in its third generation and USU is working on mizuna, a leafy vegetable like a cabbage, said Gail Bingham, research professor at the USU Space Dynamics Laboratory.
There are some expensive machines that change carbon dioxide into oxygen, he said. There are some better solutions than the expensive NASA machines, he said, “Animals burn carbon and plants fix problems.”
There is also a high price to send more supplies to the astronauts living in the International Space Station. It is better to recycle materials that are already there, he said.
There are other benefits to the project for people on Earth, Bingham said.
“The real return is knowledge of how plants grow and function,” he said.
Some of the obstacles in space cannot be simulated on Earth because in space there is a lack of gravity. This technology could better people’s standard on traditional agricultural practices here on Earth, he said.
“Gayle Bingham has probably flown more experiments in outer space than any other scientist,” Topham said.
It costs a lot of money to run space programs, which is one reason to have international programs, Bingham said. This provides more funding because more nations are participating.
“We work with the Russians for accessibility,” Bingham said. “We will fly two missions per year for the next 10 years.”
The Russians have not changed much of their space technology. They use rockets like the Apollo 13 instead of shuttles, he said.
“They approach life more straightforward,” he said.
Additionally, Bingham said, the Russians have less money than NASA to spend.
“We hope to make the technology affordable for everyone,” he said.
Topham said the Russians are doing a good job.
“The money is really scarce and some of the Russian scientists make very little money compared to us, but they still do really good work,” Topham said.
“Our overall objective is to cut costs in space,” Bingham said. “It is important to keep costs down for all the countries. It is hard to say how much things cost in the space program because of NASA’s accounting system. NASA spends 10 times the amount of what is spent at USU. NASA pays $50 million a project and is $5 billion over budget. “