L3-GEN-SEED-PREP
ESSENTIAL
PRESERVATION
Level 3 · hardware
Seed Preparation and Desiccation
Controlled Desiccation and Packaging System
System for controlled drying of seeds to 3-7% moisture content before cryogenic storage
Purpose
System for controlled drying of seeds to 3-7% moisture content before cryogenic storage
Context
Child of L2-GEN-SEED
Principles
- ▸Controlled desiccation to 3-7% moisture halts metabolic activity extending viability
- ▸Silica gel desiccation chambers provide uniform low-humidity environment
- ▸Moisture content verified by gravimetric or NIR spectroscopy methods
- ▸Hermetic sealing in foil-laminate packets immediately after desiccation
Typical implementations
- ▸Svalbard Global Seed Vault desiccation protocols
- ▸Millennium Seed Bank Kew Gardens seed processing procedures
- ▸FAO genebank standards for seed drying and packaging
Lunar considerations
- ▸Desiccation process completed on Earth before launch - Ark stores pre-processed seeds
- ▸Verification of moisture content needed if seeds are ever thawed and re-stored
- ▸Packaging must survive 100+ years of cryogenic storage without degradation
Specifications
Functional
| primary function | System for controlled drying of seeds to 3-7% moisture content before cryogenic storage |
Physical
| materials | Silica gel desiccant, Aluminum foil laminate packets, Heat-seal packaging equipment |
Interfaces
Provides
- Desiccated and packaged seeds ready for storage
Requires
- Species priority lists and sample requirements
Cite this entry
Lunar Ark Codex. "Seed Preparation and Desiccation" (L3-GEN-SEED-PREP). Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://lunarark.com/entry/L3-GEN-SEED-PREP
Licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0. You may reuse and adapt this entry with attribution, under the same licence.