Mobile, Ala. — At the rate of the Earth’s population growth, it is very likely that a few billion more people will reside on this planet in a few more decades. Utilizing conventional agricultural methods might not be enough to meet such a high demand for food. Fortunately, NASA has spent decades researching methods to address food production, both on this planet and in space. Heroman Services Plant Company, a provider of indoor landscaping services, is dedicated to keeping their community informed and is discussing the benefits of new agricultural advances.
During long-term space travel, feeding astronauts necessitates stretching resources in space by minimizing water and energy usage and removing soil. The United States’ first vertical farm was originally developed by NASA on the ground, utilizing such resource-stretching methods. Technicians stacked line upon line of hydroponic trays like bookshelves against the walls of a decommissioned hypobaric chamber used to test the Mercury space capsule. Systems were then constructed for circulating water, ventilation and lighting, and different types of crops were planted on vertically stacked trays to ascertain if they could thrive with only water and no open-air or sunlight.
This innovative technique of farming laid the groundwork for CEA, or controlled environment agriculture. According to Nasa.gov, “CEA combines plant science and environmental control to optimize plant growth and maximize efficiency, frequently incorporating vertical growth structures. Technology enables the filtering of contaminants from crop water and delivers precise nutrient balances. Artificial lighting provides only the necessary wavelengths at the right time, intensity, and duration. While environmental controls maintain ideal temperature and humidity.”
Plenty Unlimited, one of many businesses that is utilizing NASA’s research on plant growth, actually has a two-acre farm that produces crops on the same scale as an outdoor 720-acre farm, and it uses under one percent of the amount of water that traditional farming usually requires. Plenty’s chief science officer, Nate Storey, posits that the entire CEA industry is built on NASA research and will help feed future generations.
As NASA continues to develop life-support technologies for future space missions, the CEA sector will continue to benefit as more ways to yield crop sizes similar to large outdoor farms in much smaller spaces with minimal energy and water use are found.
Heroman Services Plant Company is a ran by a sixth-generation horticulture family and remains a go-to source for up-to-date industry news. Heroman provides a multitude of services from corporate and retail landscaping to living green walls and office plant rentals for a multitude of clients across the South. For more information about their services, check out the Heroman Services Plant Company website at www.heromanservices.com or give them a call at (251) 607-6787.
###
For more information about Heroman Services Plant Company – Mobile, contact the company here:
Heroman Services Plant Company – Mobile
Pat Heroman
(251) 607-6787
info@HeromanServices.com
750-C Lakeside Drive
Mobile, AL 36696
