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Study of Space Environment Effects on PY17 Bacterial Spores onboard Space Shuttle (Spore)
03.22.12

Overview | Description | Applications | Operations | Results | Publications | Images

Experiment/Payload Overview

Brief Summary

The Study of Space Environment Effects on PY17 Bacterial Spores onboard Space Shuttle (Spore) will assess the effects of the space environment on PY17 bacterial spores onboard STS-120/10A.

Principal Investigator

  • Luigi Naclerio, Ph.D., University Degli Studi del Molise, Pesche, Isernia, Italy

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

  • Alessandro Iscra, Ph.D., Instituto di Istruzione Superiore Vittorio Emanuele II Ruffini di Genova, Genova, , Italy
  • Marilena Mezzacappa, , Liceo Scientifico Statale E. Majorana, Isernia, , Italy

    • Payload Developer

    Advanced Logistics Technology Engineering Centre (ALTEC), Torino, , Italy
    Kayser Italia Srl., Livorno, , Italy

    Sponsoring Space Agency

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

    Sponsoring Organization:

    Italian Space Agency (ASI)

    ISS Expedition Duration:

    October 2007 - April 2008



    Expeditions Assigned

    16

    Previous ISS Missions

    Information Pending

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    Experiment/Payload Description

    Research Summary

    • The Study of Space Environment Effects on PY17 Bacterial Spores onboard Space Shuttle (Spore) is an educational experiment. The goal is the study of PY17 bacterial spores response to exposure to microgravity and ionizing radiation characteristic of the space environment.


    • High school students conceived the experiment. The spores will be sent in space onboard Space Shuttle, during the STS-120/10A mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

    Description

    The Spore educational experiment goal is the study of PY17 bacterial spores response to exposure to weightlessness and ionizing radiations characteristic of the space environment. High school students conceived the experiment.

    PY17 is the name given to a culture of the wild type stock spores of Bacillus subtilis. Twenty sealed cuvettes containing the spores will be allocated inside the experiment container. The experiment will last the duration of the mission. The bacterial spores are absolutely harmless to humans.

    Once retrieved, the spores will be compared to control samples that have followed the same experiment protocol on the ground. The comparison will help to determine the effects of residual gravity variation and exposure to ionizing radiations on he spores survival and development.

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    Applications

    Space Applications

    Information Pending

    Earth Applications

    Information Pending

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    Operations

    Operational Requirements

    Information Pending

    Operational Protocols

    The experiment will last in 14 days. The facility will reach the ISS with Space Shuttle flight STS-120/10A, and will remain onboard the Shuttle, docked to the ISS, until re-entry scheduled 14 days after the arrival.

    The cuvettes with spores will be stored in Biokon Container (already used by ESA in several space missions), each cuvette is sealed. The container provides the layer of containment. A data logger will be inserted into the Biokon container, to monitor temperatures during experiment execution. The experiment contatiner (EC) is housed in a Nomex transportation bag, having an inner layer of protective foam. The experiment hardware will remain onboard the Space Shuttle for all the experiment duration. The experiment management will not require crew handling and time.

    Once retrieved, the spores will be compared with the spores prepared for the experiment and left on Earth in laboratory. The comparison will allow to determine the effects of residual gravity variation and exposure to ionizing radiations on the spores survival and development.

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    Results/More Information

    Information Pending

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    Related Web Sites

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    Publications

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    Ground Based Results Publications

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    ISS Patent Publications

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    Related Publications

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    Images

    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-Payloads-Helpline.
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