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On-board Microorganism Monitoring in Spacecrafts (Microbe-A1)
04.26.13

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Overview | Description | Applications | Operations | Results | Publications | Imagery

Experiment Overview

This content was provided by Takashi Yamazaki, Ph.D., and is maintained in a database by the ISS Program Science Office.

Information provided courtesy of the Japan Aerospace and Exploration Agency (JAXA).
Brief Summary

The purpose of this experiment is to provide a rapid and effective on board monitoring system for the crew to monitor microorganisms in the ISS cabin environment. Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP, not including Microbe-A1) and “particle counter “ to realize “On Site and Real Time Microbial Monitoring” to protect crew members from microorganisms. Crew members would be able to monitor the microflora in their living environment and take countermeasures immediately against microbial contamination on board. And also passive sampling continueing from "Microbe I/II/III" experiment is including to continue time sequential monitoring from KIBO construction.

Principal Investigator(s)

  • Takashi Yamazaki, Ph.D., Japan Aerospace and Exploration Agency, Tsukuba, Japan

    • Co-Investigator(s)/Collaborator(s)

  • Koichi Makimura, Ph.D., M.D., Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan

    • Developer(s)

    Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Tsukuba, , Japan

    Sponsoring Space Agency

    Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

    Sponsoring Organization

    Information Pending

    Research Benefits

    Information Pending

    ISS Expedition Duration:

    Expeditions Assigned

    Information Pending

    Previous ISS Missions

    Information Pending

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    Experiment Description

    Research Overview

    • The Microbe-A experiment is consisted from A1 and A2 experiments. The purpose of Microbe A1/A2 experiment is to provide a rapid and effective on board monitoring system for the crew to monitor microorganisms in the ISS cabin environment. In Microbe A1 experiment, we achieve passive sampling continuing  from “Microbe?I/II/III” experiments is included to continue time sequential monitoring from KIBO construction with “Particle Counter”. The Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP, not included in Microbe-A1) will be used to realize “On Site and Real Time Microbial monitoring” to protect crew members from microorganisms. Crew members would be able to monitor the microflora in their living environment and take countermeasures immediately against microbial contamination on board.

    • To monitor microbial circumstances in ISS cabin is necessary to maintain Astranauts health. Passive sampling and analysis on the ground will clarify the type and number of microbials in KIBO module. Particle count data give us real time air purifity in KIBO.


    • Continuous monitoring from Microbe experiments will give us the microbial information in KIBO cabin and we could predict future microbial circumstance in KIBO cabin.


    • Results from this experiment will give us the risk for Astronauts in ISS. And this Microbial-A1 will continue to Microbial-A2 with real time LAMP analysis in KIBO cabin.

    Description

    The purpose of this experiment is to provide a rapid and effective on board monitoring system for the crew to monitor microorganisms in the ISS cabin environment. Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP, not including Microbe-A1) and "particle counter" to realize “On Site and Real Time Microbial Monitoring” to protect crew members from microorganisms. Crew members would be able to monitor the microflora in their living environment and take countermeasures immediately against microbial contamination on board. And also passive sampling with "Wet wipe", "Microbial Detection Sheet" and "Sampling sheet" continuing from “Microbe I/II/III” experiment is including to continue time sequential monitoring from KIBO construction.

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    Applications

    Space Applications

    Information of microbial circumstance is necessary for Astronaut health.

    Earth Applications

    Standardized sampling and analyzing method is applicable for people on Earth. Small and easy LAMT analysis tool is useful for monitoring any water, especially hot springs on Earth.

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    Operations

    Operational Requirements

    Recover passive sampling items, "White Tube", "Agar Tube", "Microbial Detection Sheet" and "Sampling Sheet". Data of particles by "Particle Counter" should be downlinked through ELT-2.

    Operational Protocols

    Sampling #1; Dust sampling from 1-2 points with sampling sheets and kept at ambient Sampling#2: Sampling from 5 points with Wet Wipe and kept in White tube and Sampling Sheet, kept at -95C. Sampling #3; Sampling from 5 points with Microbial Detection Sheet, then 7 days incubation in cabin. Photograph before and after incubation. Terminate incubation within 7 days from landing. Sampling#4: Sampling from 5 points with Wet Wipe and kept in Agar tube and Sampling Sheet, kept at +2C. Sampling #5: Particle count in KIBO cabin with "Particle Counter" for 3 times for 24 hours and data downlink through ELT2.

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    Results/More Information

    Information Pending

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    Related Websites
  • Overview of Kibo experiment candidates

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    Imagery

    Information provided by the investigation team to the ISS Program Scientist's Office.
    If updates are needed to the summary please contact JSC-ISS-Program-Science-Group. For other general questions regarding space station research and technology, please feel free to call our help line at 281-244-6187 or e-mail at JSC-ISS-Research-Helpline.
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