In the second half of this year, the launch of the DLR Satellite Eu: CROPIS (Euglena and Combined Regenerative Organic-food Production in Space) is planned. The DLR experiment will fly into space with a Falcon 9 carrier rocket from the space company Space-X.
Eu:CROPIS wil rotate on its own axis at an altitude of 600km during its mission, producing the gravitational force of the moon for six months and then the gravitation of Mars for six months. Tomato seeds are to germinate under 16 vigilant cameras and are to grow into small space tomatoes.
A whole consortium of microorganisms in a trickle filter will ensure that artificial urine is a digestible fertiliser for the tomatoes. Additionally, euglena are also on board in order to protect the closed system from excess ammonia and also to supply oxygen. The satellite is controlled by GSOC (German Space Operations Center, GSOC), DLR's Space Control Center in Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich, and communication with the satellite is carried out via the Weilheim ground station.
