Article
Microbiology
Anna C. Simpson, V. V. Ramprasad Eedara, Nitin K. Singh, Namita Damle, Ceth W. Parker, Fathi Karouia, Christopher E. Mason, Kasthuri Venkateswaran
Summary: In April 2018, a strain called Cohnella hashimotonis was isolated from the wall of the Waste Hygiene Compartment on the International Space Station (ISS). This bacterium belongs to the family Paenibacillaceae and exhibits gram-positive, rod-shaped characteristics, as well as motility and the ability to metabolize various carbon compounds.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Athena Coustenis, Niklas Hedman, Peter T. Doran, Omar Al Shehhi, Eleonora Ammannito, Masaki Fujimoto, Olivier Grasset, Frank Groen, Alex Hayes, Vyacheslav Ilyin, K. Praveen Kumar, Caroline-Emmanuelle Morisset, Christian Mustin, Karen Olsson-Francis, Jing Peng, Olga Prieto Ballesteros, Francois Raulin, Petra Rettberg, Silvio Sinibaldi, Yohey Suzuki, Kanyan Xu, Maxim Zaitsev
Summary: Planetary protection is crucial for ensuring scientific exploration and preventing contamination between celestial bodies. The COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy provides guidelines for compliance with the Outer Space Treaty, and is regularly updated based on scientific knowledge and developments in space exploration. Representatives from national space agencies and experts from the science community are responsible for maintaining and updating the policy.
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Murat Kuzlu, Kyle Abalos, Onur Elma, Otilia Popescu, Manisa Pipattanasomporn
Summary: The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest manmade structure orbiting Earth, providing a scientific laboratory environment and a comfortable working place for astronauts. A study on the modeling and simulation of the ISS's electrical power system was conducted to evaluate load management algorithms for enhancing its energy sustainability. The simulation results showed that the proposed load management algorithm improved the performance of battery SoC by up to 13%.
INTERNATIONAL TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRICAL ENERGY SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Matei Razvan Georgescu, Amina Meslem, Ilinca Nastase, Mihnea Sandu
Summary: The study investigates the ventilation system of crew quarters on the International Space Station, identifying a ventilation deficit in the breathing zone leading to excess CO2 accumulation. Recommendations include targeted ventilation improvements rather than raw increases in airflow.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2021)
Review
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Athena Coustenis, Niklas Hedman, Peter T. Doran, Omar Al Shehhi, Eleonora Ammannito, Masaki Fujimoto, Olivier Grasset, Frank Groen, Alexander G. Hayes, Vyacheslav Ilyin, K. Praveen Kumar, Caroline-Emmanuelle Morisset, Christian Mustin, Karen Olsson-Francis, Jing Peng, Olga Prieto-Ballesteros, Francois Raulin, Petra Rettberg, Silvio Sinibaldi, Yohey Suzuki, Kanyan Xu, Maxim Zaitsev
Summary: Planetary protection is an internationally agreed set of measures to protect scientific investigation and the environment during space exploration. The Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) provides the international standard for planetary protection and a forum for consultation. The COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy is regularly assessed and updated to ensure sustainable exploration of the Solar System.
FRONTIERS IN ASTRONOMY AND SPACE SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Carlos. A. Maldonado, Andrew. D. Ketsdever, Richard D. D. Balthazor, Parris C. C. Neal, Gabriel R. R. Wilson, Matthew. G. McHarg, Robert Osiander, Richard J. J. Adams
Summary: This article discusses the contamination issues faced by sensitive experiments on the International Space Station and the method of detecting these contaminants by measuring the plasma density of ionized neutrals.
JOURNAL OF SPACECRAFT AND ROCKETS
(2022)
Article
Thermodynamics
Issam Mudawar, Sunjae Kim, Jeongmin Lee
Summary: This study, supported by NASA, investigates the flow boiling of n-perfluorohexane (nPFH, C6F14) under microgravity conditions on the International Space Station (ISS). The Fluid Physics and Heat Transfer Characteristics of Flow Boiling with Low Inlet Subcooling are explored using the Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment (FBCE). Experimental data from the FBCE's Flow Boiling Module (FBM) is collected and a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model is constructed to predict the measured results. The study concludes that the CFD model is an effective tool for designing and assessing flow boiling subsystems in space vehicles.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Samuel H. H. Royle, Lorcan Cropper, Jonathan S. S. Watson, Silvio Sinibaldi, Michael Entwisle, Mark A. A. Sephton
Summary: This study assessed the capability of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) as a method for monitoring organic contamination encountered by spacecraft hardware during assembly and operation. The results showed that SPME is effective at detecting common organic contaminants and can be used as a rapid and easy method for identifying organic contaminants.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Matei Razvan Georgescu, Amina Meslem, Ilinca Nastase, Florin Bode
Summary: This study examines the use of personalized ventilation (PV) systems on the International Space Station to enhance air quality for astronauts resting in the crew quarters. Experimental measurements and numerical simulations suggest that a lateral PV solution is more effective in reducing CO2 levels in the breathing zone, potentially improving air quality over extended periods of time.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Ramona Gaza, A. Steve Johnson, Bryan Hayes, Thomas Campbell-Ricketts, Jani Rakkola, Mena Abdelmelek, Cary Zeitlin, Stuart George, Nicholas Stoffle, Andrew Castro, Clif Amberboy, Edward Semones
Summary: Monitoring space radiation is crucial for risk reduction in human space exploration, and the Crew Active Dosimeter (CAD) has been developed as a key instrument for successful crew radiation protection. The CAD, based on direct ion storage technology, meets NASA's design requirements for the International Space Station and has been implemented for ISS crew operations since 2020.
LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
Yu -Chien Chien, Dennis P. Stocker, Uday G. Hegde, Derek Dunn-Rankin
Summary: This work describes the preparatory and initial measurements of diffusion flames under the influence of an electric field aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The study presents the first mapping of the effects of an ion-driven wind on flame behavior in microgravity, without the confounding influences of buoyancy. The challenges of remote measurement and manipulation of flames on the ISS are discussed.
COMBUSTION AND FLAME
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Rachita K. Kumar, Nitin Kumar Singh, Sanjaay Balakrishnan, Ceth W. Parker, Karthik Raman, Kasthuri Venkateswaran
Summary: This study predicts possible metabolic interactions in the ISS microbiome using a computational approach and sheds further light on its organization. The results show beneficial interactions between Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pantoea genus, and parasitic and amensalistic interactions between Klebsiella pneumoniae and Aspergillus and Penicillium species. Klebsiella pneumoniae has positive effects on the survival of other microorganisms, but may also have negative interactions with potential pathogens.
Article
Microbiology
Torben Kuehnast, Carmel Abbott, Manuela R. Pausan, David A. Pearce, Christine Moissl-Eichinger, Alexander Mahnert
Summary: This article discusses the importance of maintaining a healthy microbiome in space and provides recommendations and questions for further research.
Article
Microbiology
Adriana Blachowicz, Jillian Romsdahl, Abby J. Chiang, Sawyer Masonjones, Markus Kalkum, Jason E. Stajich, Tamas Torok, Clay C. C. Wang, Kasthuri Venkateswaran
Summary: This study reports the genomic, proteomic, and metabolomic alterations in Aspergillus niger strain JSC-093350089 grown in a controlled experiment aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Results show that microgravity and enhanced irradiation triggered non-synonymous point mutations in specific regions of the genome, altered protein abundance, and changed the metabolite composition.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Mycology
M. F. Simoes, M. Cortesao, A. Azua-Bustos, F-y Bai, F. Canini, A. Casadevall, A. Cassaro, R. J. B. Cordero, A. G. Fairen, C. Gonzalez-Silva, N. Gunde-Cimerman, S. Koch, X-z Liu, S. Onofri, C. Pacelli, L. Selbmann, D. Tesei, A. Waghmode, T. Wang, L. Zucconi, A. Antunes
Summary: Since the early days of space exploration, fungi have been identified as contaminants, hitchhikers, or part of space missions. Their presence in space raises concerns due to their potential harmful effects on crews and space structures. However, fungi can also have beneficial applications in space. Astromycology, a research field within astrobiology, aims to understand and analyze the effects of fungi in space. This critical review addresses the lack of framework and knowledge in astromycology, providing a research instrument for future work.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
S. C. Bonneville, F. Delpomdor, A. Preat, C. Chevalier, T. Araki, M. Kazemian, A. Steele, A. Schreiber, R. Wirth, L. G. Benning
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
H. B. Franz, P. R. Mahaffy, C. R. Webster, G. J. Flesch, E. Raaen, C. Freissinet, S. K. Atreya, C. H. House, A. C. McAdam, C. A. Knudson, P. D. Archer, J. C. Stern, A. Steele, B. Sutter, J. L. Eigenbrode, D. P. Glavin, J. M. T. Lewis, C. A. Malespin, M. Millan, D. W. Ming, R. Navarro-Gonzalez, R. E. Summons
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Andrew Steele, Marc D. Fries, Jill D. Pasteris
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
M. E. Riebe, D. Foustoukos, C. M. O'd Alexander, A. Steele, G. D. Cody, B. O. Mysen, L. R. Nittler
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2020)
Correction
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Nan Liu, Andrew Steele, Larry R. Nittler, Rhonda M. Stroud, Bradley T. DeGregorio, Conel M. O'D. Alexander, Jianhua Wang
METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
(2020)
Article
Geology
Ashley E. Murphy, Scott T. Wieman, Juliane Gross, Jennifer C. Stern, Andrew Steele, Mihaela Glamoclija
SEDIMENTARY GEOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Joseph Razzell Hollis, Teresa Fornaro, William Rapin, Jessica Wade, Alvaro Vicente-Retortillo, Andrew Steele, Rohit Bhartia, Luther W. Beegle
Summary: It has been found that clays are effective preservers of organic material, however, organic biosignatures may be altered under Martian UV exposure. Therefore, this factor needs to be taken into consideration during the Mars 2020 mission.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
S. Shkolyar, E. Lalla, M. Konstantindis, K. Cote, M. G. Daly, A. Steele
Summary: The study investigated the detection of Ce3+ as a biosignature mimicker using UV Raman-LIF mission instruments, finding that Ce3+ shares similar fluorescent features and lifetimes with organic compounds. However, Raman spectroscopy results showed that Ce-bearing samples are unlikely to be identified due to strong absorption of Raman scattered energy by Ce3+. Thus, distinguishing spectra of organic compounds from Ce-bearing compounds using UV LIF and Raman spectroscopy instrumentation may pose challenges.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Chaitanya Giri, Andrew Steele, Marc Fries
Summary: The study found nanoscale graphene morphologies in Allende and QUE 94366, which may have originated from the same protosolar carbon reservoir and were likely synthesized in a high-temperature zone near the proto-Sun during the earliest eon of the solar system. However, in the case of Allende, synthesis of graphene may also be related to later aqueous alteration.
PLANETARY AND SPACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Rohit Bhartia, Luther W. Beegle, Lauren DeFlores, William Abbey, Joseph Razzell Hollis, Kyle Uckert, Brian Monacelli, Kenneth S. Edgett, Megan R. Kennedy, Margarite Sylvia, David Aldrich, Mark Anderson, Sanford A. Asher, Zachary Bailey, Kerry Boyd, Aaron S. Burton, Michael Caffrey, Michael J. Calaway, Robert Calvet, Bruce Cameron, Michael A. Caplinger, Brandi L. Carrier, Nataly Chen, Amy Chen, Matthew J. Clark, Samuel Clegg, Pamela G. Conrad, Moogega Cooper, Kristine N. Davis, Bethany Ehlmann, Linda Facto, Marc D. Fries, Dan H. Garrison, Denine Gasway, F. Tony Ghaemi, Trevor G. Graff, Kevin P. Hand, Cathleen Harris, Jeffrey D. Hein, Nicholas Heinz, Harrison Herzog, Eric Hochberg, Andrew Houck, William F. Hug, Elsa H. Jensen, Linda C. Kah, John Kennedy, Robert Krylo, Johnathan Lam, Mark Lindeman, Justin McGlown, John Michel, Ed Miller, Zachary Mills, Michelle E. Minitti, Fai Mok, James Moore, Kenneth H. Nealson, Anthony Nelson, Raymond Newell, Brian E. Nixon, Daniel A. Nordman, Danielle Nuding, Sonny Orellana, Michael Pauken, Glen Peterson, Randy Pollock, Heather Quinn, Claire Quinto, Michael A. Ravine, Ray D. Reid, Joe Riendeau, Amy J. Ross, Joshua Sackos, Jacob A. Schaffner, Mark Schwochert, Molly O. Shelton, Rufus Simon, Caroline L. Smith, Pablo Sobron, Kimberly Steadman, Andrew Steele, Dave Thiessen, Vinh D. Tran, Tony Tsai, Michael Tuite, Eric Tung, Rami Wehbe, Rachel Weinberg, Ryan H. Weiner, Roger C. Wiens, Kenneth Williford, Chris Wollonciej, Yen-Hung Wu, R. Aileen Yingst, Jason Zan
Summary: SHERLOC is a robotic arm-mounted instrument on NASA's Perseverance rover, equipped with two primary boresights for generating chemical maps and capturing color images. By utilizing fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy, along with a deep UV laser, SHERLOC is able to analyze organics, minerals, and chemicals important for potential biogenicity on Mars. With the ability to cover areas up to 7x7 mm and acquire data in under 10 minutes, SHERLOC provides a microscopic view of the organic geochemistry at the Perseverance field site, enabling unprecedented analysis of geological materials for scientific research and Mars sample return missions.
SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Benton C. Clark, Vera M. Kolb, Andrew Steele, Christopher H. House, Nina L. Lanza, Patrick J. Gasda, Scott J. VanBommel, Horton E. Newsom, Jesus Martinez-Frias
Summary: While early Mars is now known to be habitable, its potential for hosting conditions conducive to the independent origin of life (OoL) has been uncertain. Mars mimics various physical and chemical conditions hypothesized as settings for life on Earth, offering water, energy sources, and elements associated with life. The well-preserved ancient surface of Mars informs researchers about possible conditions during Earth's early history, and continued exploration may provide insights for OoL on exoplanets.
Article
Biology
Vincent S. Riggi, E. Bruce Watson, Andrew Steele, Karyn L. Rogers
Summary: This article investigates the influence of different minerals on the oligomerization of ribonucleotides under simulated planetary conditions. It finds that several minerals can enhance the synthesis and elongation of nucleic acids, suggesting a broader range of potential environments that could foster the origin of life.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Teresa Fornaro, John R. Brucato, Giovanni Poggiali, Maria Angela Corazzi, Malgorzata Biczysko, Maguy Jaber, Dionysis I. Foustoukos, Robert M. Hazen, Andrew Steele
FRONTIERS IN ASTRONOMY AND SPACE SCIENCES
(2020)
Meeting Abstract
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jennifer Eigenbrode, Roger Summons, Andrew Steele, Caroline Freissinet, Maeva Millan, Paul Mahaffy, Brad Sutter, Amy McAdam, Heather Franz, Paul Archer
ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2019)
Meeting Abstract
Geochemistry & Geophysics
M. Fries, F. McCubbin, R. A. Zeigler, A. Burton, A. Harrington, R. Landis, J. Mitchell, P. Niles, K. Righter, A. B. Regberg, M. Zolensky, T. Slisher, C. D. K. Herd, R. Harrington, N. Haney, D. Archer, J. Hogencamp, Z. Wilbur, J. Barnes, L. Welzenbach, A. Steele
METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE
(2019)