WONDER (Water Offset Nutrient Delivery ExpeRiment)

Primary Objective
Address the question of comparability of environmental conditions. regarding root zone moisture content between spaceflight and ground control experiments for both a porous tube plant NDS and a substrate-based NDS by employing 3 different wetness level treatments for each of these approaches.

Protocol
Wheat plants (N=90) will be initiated 7 days prior to lift-off and grown under uniform conditions until reaching orbit, at which time the crew will initiate the experimental wetness level treatments for the duration of the 10-12 day flight. Time-lapsed video will monitor plant growth over time.

Flight Hardware
The hardware design consists of 3 pairs of alternating porous tubes and substrate-based NDS. An array of 25 cameras operates along one side wall, which monitors and documents plant growth over time. A similar array is present on the opposite wall.

Key Accomplishments

• Completed high fidelity Science Verification Test using prototype PTIM unit
• Completed 90% Critical Design Review
• Continued ground studies to define experimental methods and requirements
• Conducted KC-135 testing of critical hardware and protocols
• Completed flight hardware fabrication

Upcoming Milestones

• Continuing KC-135 testing of hardware and protocols
• Conduct high fidelity Payload Verification Test using flight hardware
• Conduct spaceflight experiment (currently targeting 2006)