Greenhouses are important infrastructure components of a human mission to Mars as they offer a source of fresh food and they are capable of recycling water and the atmosphere. A major challenge in developing a Mars greenhouse is its interaction with the thin and cold Mars environment.
Experiments were conducted to analyze the heating requirements as well as the temperature and humidity distribution within a small-scale greenhouse that was placed in a chamber simulating the temperatures, pressure and light conditions on Mars. Lettuce was successfully grown inside of the Mars greenhouse for up to seven days. During the tests the environmental parameters were monitored and controlled and plant evapo-transpiration rates were measured.