[Comparison of productivity of different vitamin green technologies under the space station conditions]

At present, fresh plant products for nutrition of the International space station (ISS) crews are delivered from Earth in small quantities. Regular supply of additional fresh greens could be positive for improvement as of nutrition, so psychophysical state of ISS crews. Vitamin greens can be produced with the use of various technologies: planting leaf cultures in greenhouses, forcing the greens from onions and root vegetables (onion, garlic, chicory, beet, parsley etc.), and germinating seeds. Purpose of this study was to compare productivity of these technologies in order to specify inputs for designers of a vitamin greenhouse to be mounted in the space station and a Martian vehicle. Based on comparison of the productivity of various technologies, specific productivity of different greenhouses per a unit of power consumption, and a volume unit it will be maximal if used for germinating seeds and minimal if used for growing leaf vegetables in a greenhouse with a cylindrical crop surface.