Spacecraft and space habitats supporting human exploration contain a diverse population of
microorganisms. Microorganisms may threaten human habitation in many ways that directly …

Background Abundant populations of bacteria have been observed on Mir and the
International Space Station. While some experiments have shown that bacteria cultured …

This paper is an introduction to gravitational and space life sciences and a summary of key
achievements in the field. Current global research is focused on understanding the effects of …

The possibility of life elsewhere in the universe has fascinated humankind for ages. To the
best of our knowledge, life, as we know it, is limited to planet Earth; yet current investigation …

Abstract Between April 2009 and July 2011, the NASA Haughton-Mars Project (HMP) led the
Northwest Passage Drive Expedition (NWPDX), a multi-staged long-distance crewed rover …

The field of astrobiology aims to understand the origin of life on Earth and searches for
evidence of life beyond our planet. Although there is agreement on some of the …

Since the early time of space travel, planetary bodies undergoing chemical or biological
evolution have been of particular interest for life detection missions. NASA's and ESA's …

The world of microorganisms comprises a vast diversity of living organisms, each with its
individual set of genes, cellular components, and metabolic reactions that interact within the …

A new culture-independent system for microbial monitoring, called the Lab-On-a-Chip
Application Development Portable Test System (LOCAD-PTS), was operated aboard the …

Background Space food has evolved remarkably from a simple toothpaste-like tube to ready-
to-eat Earth-like cuisine. Currently, the major mission of space food development is to …