EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF THE POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENT OF MICROSCOPIC
DETERIORATION OF ISS RS MODULE STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS WHEN IMPACTED BY
THE COMPONENTS OF THE STATION’S EXTERNAL ATMOSPHERE AND CONDITIONS PROMOTING THE
LIFE OF MICROFLORA ON PRESSURE HULL SURFACES UNDER MLI (TEST)
Research Area: Air, Water, and Surface Monitoring
Expedition(s): 25, 26 and 29-ongoing
Principal Investigator(s): ● Oleg A. Saprykin, PhD, Central Research Institute for Machine
Building, Korolev, Russia
● Elena V. Shubralova, Central Research Institute for Machine
Building, Korolev, Russia
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
Experimental Studies of the Possible Development
of Microscopic Deterioration of ISS RS Module
Structural Elements when Impacted by the
Components of the Station’s External Atmosphere
and Conditions Promoting the Life of Microflora
on Pressure Hull Surfaces under MLI (Test)
examines the chemical, toxicological, and
microbiological samples taken from the exterior
surface of the pressure hull on and underneath
MLI in deposition areas of corrosive life support
system products and components of the station’s
external atmosphere.
SPACE BENEFITS
Information obtained on anomalous processes that reduce the life specifications of pressure
hulls will be applied to spacecraft with extended lifetimes and high autonomy, such as a system
for a mission to Mars or on the surface of the moon or Mars.
RESULTS
Viable spore-forming Bacillus licheniformis bacteria was discovered in a sample taken near a
Vozdukh system valve. This demonstrates that on a space station using a system that vents out
air environment components after cleaning it, microorganisms contained in the living
compartment air can be transferred to the surface of the station. This important factor should
be taken into consideration when conducting planetary quarantine measures in Martian and
other far-away missions. The experiment enabled direct proof confirming that viable spores of
microorganisms, whose resilience to unfavorable environmental factors is extremely high, and
can be present on the exteriors of unmanned and manned space stations.
Sampling underneath a flap. Roscosmos
image.