• Antarctic Deployment
The Mobile Test Facility and all consumables and parts required for the operations phase were delivered to the Neumayer III Station in the Antarctic. Following off-loading of the containers from the Agulhas II on January 3rd 2018, the Mobile Test Facility was installed on an elevated platform 400 m away from the Neumayer III Station. Over a period of 6 weeks, the on-site deployment team installed all subsystems and performed various system checks in preparation of the operations phase.
• Antarctic Operations
From March until end of November 2018, the operations phase of the Mobile Test Facility in the Antarctic was completed. A dedicated overwinterer lived at the Neumayer III Station as part of the crew and carried out nominal and off-nominal operations along with scientific experiments.
While a number of off-nominal events occurred, the greenhouse successfully produced fresh edible biomass for the crew. In total, 268 kg of fresh food was produced, consisting of lettuce cultivars, tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs and other crops.
• Remote Control and Procedures Testing
To gain insight into the operational aspects of managing a closed-loop greenhouse, in particular with respect to remote operations, the Mission Control Center was used to monitor and control the Mobile Test Facility. Regular tele-con meetings were held with the on-site operator to discuss the planning of activities. The procedures which had been prepared were used by the on-site operator and feedback was provided to improve, add, or remove certain procedural steps.
• Scientific Experiments and Sample Return
Throughout the operations phase, the on-site operator carried out many experiments, such as psychological assessments to determine the impact of the greenhouse and fresh food on the crew, as well as measurements on the energy and crew time demand of the greenhouse.
Furthermore, the operator took samples in the greenhouse to allow for determination of the microbial contamination. Similarly, samples were taken from the harvested biomass, to allow the consortium to assess the food quality and safety.
These samples have been returned to Europe for analysis at the partner laboratories. Initial results of the sample analyses have been obtained and have been reported in the project deliverables.
• Outreach
The Mobile Test Facility has been deployed in the Antarctic and has successfully completed one year of operations. Outreach efforts have been aimed at bringing this information to stakeholders through a website and regular Facebook and Instagram postings. A live monitoring system has been incorporated in the project website to allow the public to follow the plant cultivation in the facility.
Consortium partners gave interviews for television, radio and online and print media, lectured at popular science initiatives and conferences, wrote articles for popular newspapers, journals, and print media, and held a number of press conferences, to mark key highlights of the deployment and operations phase.
