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Biodeterioration of polymeric materials affects a wide range of industries. Formation of microbial biofilms on surfaces of materials being considered for use on the International Space Station was investigated. The materials included fiber-reinforced polymeric composites, adhesive sealant, polyimide insulation foam, Teflon cable insulation, and aliphatic polyurethane coatings. In simulation experiments, bacterial biofilms formed readily on the surfaces of the materials at a wide range of temperatures and relative humidity. The biofilm population was dominated by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Ochrobactrum anthropi, Alcaligenes denitrificans, Xanthomonas maltophila, and Vibrio harveyi. Subsequently, degradation of polymeric materials was mostly a result of both fungal and bacterial colonization in sequence, and fungi may have advantages in the early phase of surface colonization over bacteria, especially on relatively …