Chemiluminescence-based biosensor for monitoring astronauts’ health status during space missions: Results from the International Space Station

The possibility of prolonging space missions—and consequently the permanence of humans in space—depends on the possibility of providing them with an adequate supply of fresh foods to meet their nutritional requirements. This would allow space travelers to mitigate health risks associated with exposure to space radiation, microgravity and psychological stress. In this review, we attempt to critically summarize existing studies with the aim of suggesting possible solutions to overcome the challenges to develop a bio-regenerative life support system (BLSS) that can contribute to life support, supplying food and O2, while removing CO2 on the International Space Station (ISS). We describe the physical constraints and energy requirements for ISS farming in relation to space and energy resources, the problems related to lighting systems and criteria for selecting plants suitable for farming in space and microgravity. Clearly, the dimensions of a growth hardware that can be placed on ISS do not allow to produce enough fresh food to supplement the stored, packaged diet of astronauts; however, experimentation on ISS is pivotal for implementing plant growth systems and paves the way for the next long-duration space missions, including those in cis-lunar space and to the lunar surface.

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Countermeasures-based Improvements in Stress, Immune System Dysregulation and Latent Herpesvirus Reactivation onboard the International Space Station – Relevance for Deep Space Missions and Terrestrial Medicine

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews ◽

10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.05.007 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 115 ◽

pp. 68-76 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Brian E. Crucian ◽

George Makedonas ◽

Clarence F. Sams ◽

Duane L. Pierson ◽

Richard Simpson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immune System ◽

International Space Station ◽

Space Station ◽

Space Missions ◽

Deep Space ◽

International Space

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Robotic hand developed for both space missions on the International Space Station and commercial applications on the ground

2009 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems ◽

10.1109/iros.2009.5354482 ◽

2009 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Taihei Ueno ◽

Mitsushige Oda

Keyword(s):

International Space Station ◽

Space Station ◽

Space Missions ◽

Robotic Hand ◽

International Space ◽

Commercial Applications

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Study of the impact of long-duration space missions at the International Space Station on the astronaut microbiome

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-019-46303-8 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Alexander A. Voorhies ◽

C. Mark Ott ◽

Satish Mehta ◽

Duane L. Pierson ◽

Brian E. Crucian ◽

...

Keyword(s):

International Space Station ◽

Space Station ◽

Space Missions ◽

International Space ◽

Long Duration ◽

The Impact

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Characterization ofAspergillus nigerIsolated from the International Space Station

mSystems ◽

10.1128/msystems.00112-18 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (5) ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Jillian Romsdahl ◽

Adriana Blachowicz ◽

Abby J. Chiang ◽

Nitin Singh ◽

Jason E. Stajich ◽

...

Keyword(s):

International Space Station ◽

Extreme Environments ◽

Space Station ◽

Strain Analysis ◽

Space Missions ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

Fungal Species ◽

Content Type ◽

International Space ◽

Closed Systems

ABSTRACTThe initial characterization of theAspergillus nigerisolate JSC-093350089, collected from U.S. segment surfaces of the International Space Station (ISS), is reported, along with a comparison to the extensively studied strain ATCC 1015. Whole-genome sequencing of the ISS isolate enabled its phylogenetic placement within theA. niger/welwitschiae/lacticoffeatusclade and revealed that the genome of JSC-093350089 is within the observed genetic variance of other sequencedA. nigerstrains. The ISS isolate exhibited an increased rate of growth and pigment distribution compared to a terrestrial strain. Analysis of the isolate’s proteome revealed significant differences in the molecular phenotype of JSC-093350089, including increased abundance of proteins involved in theA. nigerstarvation response, oxidative stress resistance, cell wall modulation, and nutrient acquisition. Together, these data reveal the existence of a distinct strain ofA. nigeron board the ISS and provide insight into the characteristics of melanized fungal species inhabiting spacecraft environments.IMPORTANCEA thorough understanding of how fungi respond and adapt to the various stimuli encountered during spaceflight presents many economic benefits and is imperative for the health of crew. AsA. nigeris a predominant ISS isolate frequently detected in built environments, studies ofA. nigerstrains inhabiting closed systems may reveal information fundamental to the success of long-duration space missions. This investigation provides valuable insights into the adaptive mechanisms of fungi in extreme environments as well as countermeasures to eradicate unfavorable microbes. Further, it enhances understanding of host-microbe interactions in closed systems, which can help NASA’s Human Research Program maintain a habitat healthy for crew during long-term manned space missions.

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