Station Science Top News: June 7, 2024

Researchers identified four Chitinophaga bacteria strains isolated from wastewater on the International Space Station and reported their genomes. The genus Chitinophaga, a bacterium found in soil and at moderate temperatures, has been deemed non-pathogenic and has potential industrial applications. Discovering new bacterial species on the orbiting laboratory is expected as researchers monitor and control microbial growth to protect crew health.

The BEST investigation tested a genetic sequencing process that does not require cultivation of organisms as a way to identify unknown microbes on the space station. Direct RNA sequencing could be a critical tool for research on crew health and into how organisms respond to spaceflight and could provide insight into appropriate procedures for future human exploration. The technique also could be used to monitor the presence of microbes in remote and constrained environments on Earth.

An astronaut with short hair and glasses smiles while working on a scientific experiment aboard the International Space Station. He is wearing a navy blue T-shirt and light blue gloves. — NASA astronaut and Expedition 56 Flight Engineer Ricky Arnold swabs surfaces in the International Space Station to collect microbe samples. He then uses the Miniature Polymerase Chain Reaction (miniPCR) to extract DNA from the samples. Credit: NASA

***

The CALorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET) provided precise measurements of the iron and nickel spectra in cosmic rays. Results show similarities between nickel and iron spectra that suggest an identical mechanism may explain the origin and movement of both. Observing these cosmic rays is key to understanding the formation and movement of charged particles in our galaxy, which helps astrophysicists understand the nature of the universe.

The CALET searches for signatures of dark matter by measuring the cosmic ray spectrum in our region of the galaxy. The instrument can detect the all-electron spectrum and distinguish between each nuclear species up to nickel and above. CALET data help address questions such as the origin of cosmic rays, how cosmic rays accelerate and travel across the galaxy, and the existence of dark matter. Its inventory of high-energy radiation encountered in space also helps characterize potential risks to humans and equipment.

The Kibo laboratory module on the International Space Station, with its robotic arm extended and various scientific equipment attached, floats above the Earth. The image captures white clouds and the curvature of Earth in the background. — Japan’s Kibo laboratory module is pictured as the International Space Station orbits over the southern Pacific Ocean east of New Zealand. Credit: JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)/Norishige Kanai

***

Researchers demonstrated a method for accurately inferring distribution of particle sizes in upper atmosphere aerosols that may be valuable for climate and chemistry models. This capability could provide insight into how aerosols affect Earth’s atmosphere and support more informed responses following aerosol-producing events such as volcanic eruptions.

The researchers’ method uses spectra data from SAGE-III, which measures Earth’s ozone along with other gases and aerosols, which are tiny particles in the atmosphere. For this paper, researchers measured size and transport of particles in the aerosol plume from the 2022 Hunga Tonga volcano eruption. The instrument’s vantage point on the space station helps maximize the scientific value of its observations.