Tailoring the Solar Spectrum for Enhanced Crop Yield for Space Missions

UbiQD, Inc, has partnered with the University of Arizona, Controlled Environment Agriculture Center, to enhance the lighting component of the Mars-Lunar Greenhouse prototype to improve the food production of the system. Ultimately, the goals are for UbiQD to install a down-conversion film composed of quantum dots (QDs) to not only provide higher quality PAR spectrum than currently using, but by converting the high concentration of UV photons to visible photons, UbiQD would dramatically increase the intensity of the PAR spectrum in space applications and provided to the plants and the quality of the spectrum will also enhance the efficiency of crop growth. In the Phase II project, we have been building on the successful phase I results and develop new light recipes for the QD-films to find the optimal spectra for lettuce and tomatoes, with a final goal to enhance biomass production for controlled environment growing on space missions. The Phase II work has already shown promising new light recipes that have increased yield improvements for lettuce compared to the Phase I results and improvements were also observed for tomatoes in a controlled indoor growth chamber. Greenhouse studies are also underway for the 625nm emitting film and a second greenhouse study is planned for a 650nm emitting film. For the Phase IIE proposed work, UbiQD will focus on integrating quantum dots into a lower cost, extrudable greenhouse film. The benefits of incorporating quantum dots into an extruded plastic, compared to a roll-to-roll process that is currently used is the ability to manufacture the film at lower cost/weight, but they can also be manufactured at larger sizes. This technology will benefit terrestrial applications by replacing current greenhouse covers with a yield boosting cover. For space applications, the lower weight plastic will be an improved solution for NASA and deployed as the cover of the Mars Lunar Greenhouse Prototype.

-Spectral modification for enhanced plant production for long space missions and planetary exploration (this project) -Lightweight remote phosphor for customized plant growth spectra using electrically powered, artificial light - Lightweight remote phosphor for customized spectra for solid state lighting in space vehicles, space stations and living quarters - Renewable electricity production from transparent surfaces, such as windows

- A low-cost solar spectrum modifying greenhouse cover that improves crop production in greenhouses - Deployable solar spectrum-modifying Ag Film for inducing early flowering or fruiting of the plant - Renewable electricity generation from the transparent surfaces of a greenhouse structure

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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