Life Support Systems
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Dale Andersen's Field Reports, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Life Support Systems, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Microbiology & Virology, Missions & Hardware, People Of Astrobiology, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Dale Andersen’s Astrobiology Antarctic Status Report: 18 February 2026: Eclipse Watching And Base Camp Packing

by Keith Cowing

Dale: A partial eclipse over Lake Untersee yesterday—an ordinary piece of celestial clockwork that felt anything but ordinary from the icy shores of Lake Untersee in the mountains of Antarctica. […]

Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astronauts and Explorers, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Dale Andersen's Field Reports, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Life Support Systems, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Microbiology & Virology, Missions & Hardware, Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History, Origin & Evolution of Life, People Of Astrobiology, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return, Tricorders & Sensors, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Dale Andersen’s Astrobiology Antarctic Status Report: 15 February 2026: Diving Under The Ice At Lake Untersee

by Keith Cowing

Keith, Sorry for the quiet—our days have been packed, and out here every usable hour feels borrowed. Since my last report the weather has changed its mind a few times. […]

Posted inAstropharmacy / Biotechnology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Gravitational Biology, Life Support Systems, Microgravity, Missions & Hardware, Sample Return, Space Life Science, Space Physiology & Medicine, Space Stations, Status Report

Offworld Space Biology: Streptococcus Pneumoniae Behavior In Microgravity

by Keith Cowing

This investigation aims to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which Streptococcus pneumoniae, the leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia damages heart tissue.

Posted inAstropharmacy / Biotechnology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Life Support Systems, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Space Agriculture, Space Life Science, Space Physiology & Medicine, Space Stations, Tricorders & Sensors

Offworld Life Science: Making Medical Grade Saline In Space

by Keith Cowing

Editor’s note: in addition to biomedical uses for crew health, having the ability to produce sterile solutions – in space – can have additional uses for non-human biological experimentation including […]

Posted inLife Support Systems, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Space Life Science, Space Physiology & Medicine, Space Stations, Status Report

A Next Generation Space Antimicrobial: Assessing Microbial Activity And Reduction Across The ISS

by Keith Cowing

Microbial contamination in spacecraft poses a threat to crew health and operational integrity. Currently, microbial reduction aboard the International Space Station (ISS) relies on rigorous cleaning, which is time-consuming for […]

Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Life Support Systems, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report

Biofilms: From The Cradle Of Life To life Support

by Keith Cowing

Biofilms are intricately associated with life on Earth, enabling functions essential to human and plant systems, but their susceptibility to spaceflight stressors and functional disruption in space remains incompletely understood. […]

Posted inAstronauts and Explorers, Life Support Systems, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Missions & Hardware, People Of Astrobiology, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Space Life Science, Space Stations, Status Report

JAXA Astronaut Kimiya Yui Conducts A Microbiology Research Experiment

by Keith Cowing

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut and Expedition 74 Flight Engineer Kimiya Yui conducts a microbiology research experiment inside the Kibo laboratory module’s Life Science Glovebox.

Posted inAstronauts and Explorers, Astropharmacy / Biotechnology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Life Support Systems, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Press Release, Sample Return, Space Life Science, Space Stations, Tricorders & Sensors

Charting The Microbial Map Inside The International Space Station

by Keith Cowing

Astronauts have company on the International Space Station (ISS International Space Station). Bacteria squat on handrails. Skin flakes lodge in air vents like lint. A corn-loving fungus has become a […]

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