NASA STTR 2016 Solicitation

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Mr. John Kelly
jkelly@freightfarms.com
840 Summer Street, Suite 108
Boston, MA 02127 - 1533
(857) 209-8078

CORPORATE/BUSINESS OFFICIAL (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Ms. Viktoria Shulevich
viktoria@freightfarms.com
840 Summer Street, Suite 108
Boston, MA 02127 - 1533
(877) 687-4326 Extension :114

Estimated Technology Readiness Level (TRL) at beginning and end of contract:
Begin: 2
End: 3

Technology Available (TAV) Subtopics
Closed-Loop Living System for Deep-Space ECLSS with Immediate Applications for a Sustainable Planet is a Technology Available (TAV) subtopic that includes NASA Intellectual Property (IP). Do you plan to use the NASA IP under the award?
No

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words)
NASA's goals to explore deep space through manned missions requires development of self-sustaining life support systems. A diverse team from Freight Farms, Inc. have partnered with Clemson University to merge knowledge of sustainable farming with engineering expertise to create off-grid infrastructure for self-sustaining plant life that will assist NASA with their goals. Freight Farms' current product, the Leafy Green Machine (LGM) will serve as the baseline for this project. The LGM is a fully-operational hydroponic farm built inside an up-cycled freight container and capable of producing yields at commercial-scale in any climate and in any season. This STTR would provide the ability to further Freight Farms' research and development through design of more efficient systems with the aim of achieving independence from the energy grid. Development of advanced environmental controls and application of closed-loop theory to agricultural processes will result in a model for self-sustaining plant life. The innovations resulting from this project will serve purposes for both NASA applications as well as in the commercial market by providing a secure source of food to populations regardless of their climate areas, terrain, energy infrastructure, or available land.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
The innovations developed for the Self-Sustaining Crop Production Unit (SSCPU) will support the following NASA goals:
- Life support for human exploration of deep space
- Enable advanced research of proteins and medicines
- Simulation of advanced external and internal conditions for plant growth and human symbiosis
- Development of lightweight and modular systems (inflatable and 3D printed)
- Development of advanced environmental controls for space shuttles or other space exploration vessels
- Agricultural studies in remote locations and extreme climate conditions including deep space

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
The SSCPU supports off-grid and on site food production, which has applications to numerous industries and commercial endeavors. On site production of food reduces cost and security risk of transport, food spoilage due to travel, and dependency on traditional logistics. Specific applications include:
- Disaster relief
- Military
- Mining and offshore industries
- Remote living and emerging markets
In addition to developing the new markets outlined above, the SSCPU will continue the revolution of the agricultural industry that Freight Farms' current product, the LGM, has started. The SSCPU will increase the accessibility of sustainable farming practices by improving operational costs and business economics:
- Greater efficiency
- Lowered supply costs
- Independency from the grid