http://spaceflight1.nasa.gov/history/shuttle-mir/science/hls/micro/sc-hls-micro.htm
Earth Benefits
Microbes' colonization of inanimate surfaces and hardware of the spacecraft can also lead to
biodeteriortion of critical life support instrumentation and equipment, as well as the release of toxic
volatiles. All of these are conditions associated with an Earth problem commonly called "sick building
syndrome" (SBS) or "building-related illness" (BRS). Reducing risk to SBS requires monitoring both the
habitation environment and the occupants, such that the levels and types of microbes do not reach
critical levels. A thorough understanding of the microbial population dynamics onboard spacecraft will
allow for development of predictive measures that can be used on Earth. The information gained from
this study will be helpful in the design of future spacecraft, as well as environmentally conscience
buildings, and development of monitoring requirements to minimize microbial cross-contamination.
Microbiological Investigations of the Mir Space Station and Flight Crew
Objectives
Microorganisms are ubiquitous in spacecraft environments, as they are on Earth. Microbes pose several risks to
humans in space including infectious diseases, allergies, degradation of air quality (e.g. release of volatiles), release
of toxins, degradation of critical materials, and systems failure (e.g. water reclamation system). Maintaining the health
and performance of humans in closed environments in microgravity while reusing reclaimed water is a daunting task.
Determining medical and technological risks which are dependent on microbiological factors during long-term space
flight is a vital problem in theory, as well as in practice. In such a closed environment, the humans will be a major
source of microbes released into the spacecraft. Some microbial species will thrive and some will disappear, resulting
in a unique microbiota in the spacecraft. Animals and plants, when present, will also be significant contributors to the
overall bioburden, and suitable containment and purification technologies are essential. The success of long-duration
space missions will depend on our ability to mitigate the adverse effects of microorganisms. This will require a much
better understanding of the microbiology of closed environments and the human-microbe-environment interactions.
The Mir Space Station provides an opportunity for a relatively comprehensive study of the crewmembers and
environment on an 11-year-old space station.
The objectives of this experiment were to characterize the microbiota of crewmembers, air, surface, and water
microbes before, during, and after a long-duration mission aboard the Mir Space Station; to determine the exchange
and distribution of microbes throughout the Mir Space Station; and to have operationally-ready hardware systems
ready for the International Space Station (ISS).
Shuttle-Mir Missions
Mir-22, NASA-3, NASA-4, NASA-5, Mir-24, NASA-6, Mir-25, NASA-7
Approach
Crew Microbiology: Before and after flight, microbial samples from the throat, nose, ear, hand, scapula, axilla, groin
and urine were collected from the crewmembers and examined for bacteria and fungi; feces were also collected and
examined for bacteria, fungi, ova and parasites. Inflight samples were collected from the throat, nose, ear, hand,
scapula, axilla, groin using the Crew Microbiology Kit, which held swabs and tubes containing growth media for
sampling.
Air Microbiology: Air samples were collected from each Shuttle before and after launch using the Microbial Air
Sampler. This device was an impaction air sampler, in which a small fan unit draws a known volume of air through a
sampler and airborne particles are impacted onto growth media. Inflight air samples were collected from the Shuttle
and Mir with the Microbial Air Sampler Kit, which collected samples in the same manner described above. Samples
were collected from the middeck and flight deck areas of the Shuttle, once before docking with the Mir and once
during the docked phase. Samples were also collected from four locations in the Mir, including the area of the
Commander's seat, dining table area, in the Commander's cabin and in the Kristall Module hatch.
Water Microbiology: Water samples were also collected from each Shuttle before and after launch; tank A was
sampled before launch, and tank A and B were sampled after landing. Inflight water samples from the Mir were
collected and processed with the Water Experiment Kit. Mir sampling locations included the galley-hot and cold water
ports and the ground supplied water tank (SVO-ZV). Samples were collected into bags, then processed through a
microbial capture device (MCD). MCDs were then incubated for five days and examined for microbial growth on the
second and fifth days. After incubation was complete, all microbial samples were stowed for further analysis on Earth.
Archived water samples were also returned to Earth for ground-based analysis.
Surface Microbiology: Surface samples were collected from three locations in the Shuttle before and after each
mission, including the vent above the waste control system in the middeck, the left most air-return in the port side
crawl-through, and the air vent for the Commander's chair in the flight deck. Inflight surface samples were collected
using the Surface Sampler Kit from the same three locations in the Shuttle and five locations in the Mir, including the
Commander's seat, the dining table, Commander's cabin, the treadmill handle, and the wall above the Kristall Module
hatch. Samples were then incubated for five days and examined for microbial growth on the second and fifth days.
Results
The aerobic microbial flora of crewmembers were characteristic of healthy individuals. Fecal anaerobic microbiota
data indicated that a shift in intestinal microorganism ratios occurred in some crewmembers. The transfer of
microorganisms between crewmembers was demonstrated by DNA fingerprinting.
The Mir environment was found to be microbiologically similar to that of the Shuttle. Microbial levels in air and on
surfaces were generally within acceptability limits set for the International Space Station (ISS); fungal levels tended to
be higher on Mir than found on Shuttle. Levels of microbes in hot water were also within ISS acceptability limits; levels
in ambient and ground-supplied water sources frequently exceeded U.S. limits, but were within Russian limits. Analysis
of surface condensation was important for environmental assessment (this investigation demonstrated the first inflight
recovery of protozoa and dust mites).
This investigation also allowed the development of a surface sampling kit for culturing microbes on a variety of
spacecraft surfaces for inflight analysis, conducted microbial air sampling using a Burkard air sampler, developed a
water microbiology kit for the inflight analysis of spacecraft water, and conducted the first inflight microbial analysis of
a spacecraft water supply.
Earth Benefits
Microbes' colonization of inanimate surfaces and hardware of the spacecraft can also lead to biodeteriortion of critical
life support instrumentation and equipment, as well as the release of toxic volatiles. All of these are conditions
associated with an Earth problem commonly called "sick building syndrome" (SBS) or "building-related illness" (BRS).
Reducing risk to SBS requires monitoring both the habitation environment and the occupants, such that the levels and
types of microbes do not reach critical levels. A thorough understanding of the microbial population dynamics onboard
spacecraft will allow for development of predictive measures that can be used on Earth. The information gained from
this study will be helpful in the design of future spacecraft, as well as environmentally conscience buildings, and
development of monitoring requirements to minimize microbial cross-contamination.
Publications
Isenberg, H.D., Pierson, D. L., Mishra, S. K., Viktorov, A. N., Novikova, N. D., and Lizko, N. N. 1996. Microbiological
findings from the Mir-18 crew. Aerospace Medical Association, Atlanta, GA
Koenig, D. W., Novikova, N. D., Mishra, S. K., Viktorov, A. N., Skuratov, V., Lizko, N. N., and Pierson, D. L. 1996.
Microbiology investigations of the Mir Space Station and flight crew. American Society for Microbiology, New Orleans,
LA
Pierson, D. L. and Konstantinova, I. V. 1996. Reactivation of latent virus infections in the Mir crew. American Society
for Microbiology, New Orleans, LA
Sauer, R. L., Pierson, D. L., Limardo, J. G., Sinyak, Y. E., Schultz, J. R., Straub, J. E., Pierre, L. M., and Koenig, D. W.
1996. Assessment of the potable water supply on the Russian Mir Space Station. American Institute of Aeronautics
and Astronautics. Life Sciences and Space Medicine Conference, Houston, TX
Koenig, D. W., Bruce, J. L., Bell-Robinson, D. M., Ecret, L. D., Zakaria, Z., and Pierson, D. L. 1997. Analysis of
bacteria isolated from water transferred from the Space Shuttle to the Mir Space Station. American Society for
Microbiology, Miami, FL
Pierson, D. L. and Viktorov, A. N. 1997. Microbiology of the Russian Space Station Mir. Society for Industrial
Microbiology, Reno, NV
Pierson, D. L., Viktorov, A. N., Lizko, N. N., Novikova, N. D., Skuratov, V., Groves, T. O., Bruce, R. J., Mishra, S. K.,
and Koenig, D. W. 1997. Microbiology of the Mir Space Station and flight crew during the Mir 19 mission. American
Society for Microbiology, Miami, FL
Mehta, S. K., Lugg, D. J., Payne, D. A., Tyring, S. K., and Pierson, D. L. 1998. Epstein-Barr Virus reactivation in
spacecraft and ground-based analogs. American Society of Gravitational Biology, Houston, TX.
Principal Investigators
Duane L. Pierson, Ph.D.
NASA/Johnson Space Center
Aleksandr N. Viktorov, Ph.D.
Institute of Biomedical Problems
Co-Investigators
Theron Groves
Rebekah Bruce
Natalia Novikova, Ph.D.
Vladimir Skuratov, Ph.D.
Nadezda Lizko, Ph.D.