Astronauts will search the exterior of the space station for living microbes

Sometimes, the most fascinating discoveries are not in the stars and planets that are light-years away. Instead, they lie in the microbes that somehow manage to hitch a ride on our spaceships – minuscule organisms that could reveal new insights into life’s resilience.

Understanding how these microbes survive the harsh environment of space is crucial for future exploration and planetary protection efforts.

In addition, it is important that humans do not introduce microbes into space as a result of their activities.

The new ISS External Microorganisms experiment lays the groundwork for a scientific expedition to sample areas of the ISS and determine whether microbes are present and, if so, how many of them there are.

These tiny stowaways may offer valuable data on microbial adaptation and potential risks for deep-space missions in future.

Invisible microbes in space

Astronauts are set to embark on spacewalks to collect samples near the life support system vents on the outside of the International Space Station in hopes of finding living microbes.

This location choice is driven by the curiosity to see whether the spacecraft might be emitting microorganisms into the cosmos and, if so, the nature and number of these microorganisms and the distance they may travel.

As the scientists carefully gather samples, the focus isn’t just to count and classify these raw data. They want to learn how microbes can survive in space and which microbes are best able to do so.

Survival of the fittest

How do these tiny life forms manage to survive and propagate in the hostile environment of space? Could they hold the secret to life on distant planets like the Moon or Mars?

These are the intriguing questions the research hopes to answer.

The ISS External Microorganisms experiment is particularly interested in a group of microbes known as “extremophiles.”

These are robust survivors that continue to thrive in conditions that can be extremely harsh and improbable for life as we know it.

Their extraordinary resilience makes them subjects of great curiosity, not just for space research, but also for applications right here on Earth, in fields like pharmaceuticals and agriculture.

Monitoring microbes on the space station

Onboard monitoring of microbial communities within the ISS has been a longstanding project to ensure the health and safety of the crew.

Various methods, such as air and surface sampling, have helped researchers understand better how microbial populations evolve in microgravity over time.

This internal tracking provides a controlled environment where scientists can study how microorganisms adapt to factors such as radiation, humidity, and temperature fluctuations in space.

With advanced tools, astronauts can now identify microbial strains directly in space, without the need to return samples to Earth.

These efforts have revealed that, while the space station remains remarkably clean, microbial presence is inevitable due to the constant exchange of supplies and human activity.

The findings from these studies have implications for designing better contamination control systems for future deep-space missions.

Humans, microbes, and space

Spacecrafts and astronaut suits are meticulously sterilized before any mission to minimize the risk of biological contamination and to ensure the integrity of scientific investigations.

Yet, it’s a well-known fact that humans carry their individual microbiomes, which consistently recreate diverse and dynamic microbial communities within the spacecraft environment.

Despite stringent sterilization protocols, these microbial hitchhikers can persist and even adapt to the unique conditions of space.

How successfully do current designs and methods curb or limit human contamination over extended missions and repeated spacewalks?

Addressing this challenge is crucial, as microbial proliferation could impact both astronaut health and mission integrity.

Why does any of this matter?

The findings from this study could influence potential modifications to crewed spacecraft, including the materials and structures used in life-support systems, air filtration, and the suits worn by astronauts when exploring destinations where life may currently exist or could have existed in the past.

Understanding how microbes behave in space can inform strategies for maintaining crew health on long-duration missions to Mars and beyond.

Moreover, this research contributes to planetary protection efforts, ensuring that human missions do not inadvertently introduce Earth-based microbes to extraterrestrial environments.

Investigating the world of microbes on the space station has tremendous potential to access new knowledge and shape future research.

As scientists continue to explore the microscopic frontier, the search for microbial hitchhikers could redefine our understanding of life’s resilience beyond Earth.

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