Mars Buds - Research Paper for NASA's Plant Mars Challenge

Project Description:

Mars Buds: Growing Turnips for Martian Agriculture
This project explored the potential for cultivating turnips in Martian conditions by testing variables such as artificial lighting, soil composition, and the use of earthworm castings. We developed an experimental setup to simulate Martian regolith and measured the impact of different growth conditions on turnip yield. Our findings highlighted the benefits of artificial lighting for enhanced growth and the challenges of using Martian regolith due to its density. Additionally, earthworm castings showed potential as a sustainable fertilizer for space agriculture. This research contributes valuable insights into efficient food production for future Mars missions.

My Contributions

• Leadership: Founded the project, defined its goals, and recruited a dedicated team of researchers.
• Resource Management: Secured funding for the project, acquired necessary equipment, and ensured all materials were in place to conduct the experiments.
• Experimental Setup: Worked collaboratively with the team to design and establish the research conditions, simulating Martian regolith and setting up lighting and soil composition variables.
• Research Execution: Conducted experiments, monitored plant growth, and collected data to assess the impact of various conditions on turnip yield.
• Report Writing: Led the drafting and editing of the final research report, ensuring our findings were clearly presented and well-documented.

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