“AstroGro is a 3D printed pod that is integrated with artificial intelligence (AI) to organically grow fresh food, which will enable sustainable life,” said AstroGro Creators. “With 3D printed pods, the farming ecosphere is modular and food growth can be scaled. Using AI, conditions for plant growth is optimized to adapt to changing conditions, and multiple pods are managed under one system, or ‘brain’. Renewable and reusable, air is filtered by plants, waste is recycled for soil using greywater and night soil, and filament is reused for new pods. Anyone – an astronaut, spouse, or child untrained in horticulture – can grow fresh crops.”
The plants are housed in the 3D printed pods. Though artificial, the pods are complete mini-environments that is close to their native environment on Earth. The pods themselves can be broken down and rebuilt/redesigned by reusing the filament from the previous prototype thus eliminating the need to send more materials and/or tools to space.
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