Tricorder Tech: Space Station Imaging System to Enhance Space Biology and Life Detection Beyond Earth
Onboard the International Space Station (ISS), the Extant Life Volumetric Imaging System, dubbed ELVIS, is not about resurrecting rock-n-roll legends but pioneering scientific discovery. Using innovative holographic technology to deliver detailed 3D views of cells and microbes, the system allows scientists to study the adaptability and resilience of life under extreme conditions. Knowledge gained could reveal how life might persist on distant moons and planets, significantly enhancing our search for life outside Earth.
See A multi-modal volumetric microscope with automated sample handling for surveying microbial life in liquid samples, Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, Sec. Astrobiology Volume 9 – 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fspas.2022.763329 (open access)
See Tricorder Tech: Extant Life Detection Using Label-Free Video Microscopy In Analog Aquatic Environments, Astrobiology.com
Nikki Johnston, a Ph.D. student at Portland State University, stands next to the Extant Life Volumetric Imaging System (ELVIS). This innovative system aims to advance how we study cellular processes in space. Image courtesy of Jay Nadeau
Beyond the capabilities of traditional two-dimensional microscopes, ELVIS offers scientists a closer look at the intricate structure, volume, and environmental interactions of cellular organisms. This detailed view enables more accurate biological assessments that could shed light on the ability of life to thrive in the most extreme environments of space.
Portland State University (PSU), in collaboration with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is spearheading the ELVIS project, which is scheduled to launch on SpaceX’s 32nd Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission, contracted by NASA. The investigation, sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory®, combines expertise in biology, physics, and cutting-edge imaging technology, says Jay Nadeau, a physics professor at PSU and a principal investigator on the project.
“We are thrilled to leverage the ISS National Lab to prepare ELVIS for its future roles in space exploration missions,” says Nadeau. She added, “The successful operation of ELVIS in the demanding conditions of space not only paves the way for its use in off-Earth environments but also holds implications for enhancing biomedical and microbiological research on our planet.”
During its tenure in space, ELVIS will focus its analysis on two resilient types of Earth-based life forms: Euglena gracilis, a microalga lauded for its adaptability, and Colwellia psychrerythraea, a bacterium that thrives in frigid ocean waters. This study goes beyond merely observing organisms; it tests their observable and genetic adaptations to microgravity. The insights gained could illuminate how life might survive beneath the icy shells of distant moons like Europa and Enceladus.
Built to endure the rigors of space, ELVIS incorporates durable, low-maintenance components and features automation that minimizes astronaut involvement, ensuring experiments can run continuously without disruption. As ELVIS gears up for launch, the team looks forward to testing its full potential to explore the resilience and adaptability of life under extreme conditions, Nadeau noted.
SpaceX CRS-32 is scheduled to launch no earlier than April 21, 2025, at 4:15 a.m., from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
For additional information on ISS National Lab-sponsored investigations launching on NASA’s SpaceX CRS-32, visit our launch page. To learn more about the research and technology development sponsored by the ISS National Lab, including how to propose concepts for future space-based research, visit our website.
Extant life detection using label-free video microscopy in analog aquatic environments, PLoS One. 2025 Mar 12;20(3):e0318239. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0318239 (open access)
About the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory:
The International Space Station (ISS) is a one-of-a-kind laboratory that enables research and technology development not possible on Earth. As a public service enterprise, the ISS National Laboratory® allows researchers to leverage this multiuser facility to improve quality of life on Earth, mature space-based business models, advance science literacy in the future workforce, and expand a sustainable and scalable market in low Earth orbit. Through this orbiting national laboratory, research resources on the ISS are available to support non-NASA science, technology, and education initiatives from U.S. government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space® (CASIS®) manages the ISS National Lab, under Cooperative Agreement with NASA, facilitating access to its permanent microgravity research environment, a powerful vantage point in low Earth orbit, and the extreme and varied conditions of space. To learn more about the ISS National Lab, visit our website.
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