Consideration in selecting crops for the human-rated life support system:  a Linear Programming model.
A Linear Programming model has been constructed which aids in selecting appropriate crops for CELSS (Controlled Environment Life Support System) food production.  A team of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) faculty, staff, graduate students and invited experts representing more than a dozen disciplines, provided a wide range of expertise in developing the model and the crop production program.  The model incorporates nutritional content and controlled-environment based production yields of carefully chosen crops into a framework where a crop mix can be constructed to suit the astronauts' needs.  The crew's nutritional requirements can be adequately satisfied with only a few crops (assuming vitamin mineral supplements are provided) but this will not be satisfactory from a culinary standpoint.  This model is flexible enough that taste and variety driven food choices can be built into the model.
Wheeler
E F
EF
Cornell University, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Kossowski
J
J
Goto
E
E
Langhans
R W
RW
White
G
G
Albright
L D
LD
Wilcox
D
D
D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D004032:Diet; D018504:Ecological Systems, Closed; D004780:Environment, Controlled; D006801:Humans; D008021:Life Support Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016014:Linear Models; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009753:Nutritive Value; D012984:Software; D013026:Space Flight