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Conducting research to assess the impact of microgravity environment on plant growth and development requires a research facility that has the capability to provide an enclosed, environmentally controlled plant chamber. Since plants are sensitive to a number of atmospheric gaseous materials, the chamber atmosphere must be isolated from the space vehicles' atmosphere, which typically contains high levels of CO2 and other trace contaminants and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can be detrimental to the plant growth. However, an enclosed chamber may result in a high concentration of ethylene, a potent hormone produced by the plants, which can accumulate to levels well above what plants are able to adapt to. The physiological effects of excessive ethylene on plant development include severe interruption of the pollen process and significant reduction of seed production.