SURFACE, WATER, AND AIR BIOCHARACTERIZATION - A COMPREHENSIVE CHARACTERIZATION OF
MICROORGANISMS AND ALLERGENS IN SPACECRAFT ENVIRONMENT (SWAB)
Research Area: Microbial Populations in Spacecraft
Expedition(s): 13-16, 19-22
Principal Investigator(s): ● Duane L. Pierson, PhD, NASA’s Johnson Space Center,
Houston, Texas
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
A Comprehensive Characterization of Microorganisms and Allergens in Spacecraft (SWAB) uses
advanced molecular techniques to comprehensively evaluate microbes aboard the
International Space Station (ISS) including pathogens (organisms that may cause disease).
SWAB also tracks changes in the microbial community
as spacecrafts visit the station and new station
modules are added. This study assesses the risk of
microbes to the crew and the spacecraft. The
determination of risk from infectious disease during
spaceflight missions is composed of several factors
including both the concentration and characteristics of
the microorganisms to which the crew are exposed.
Thus, having a good understanding of the microbial
ecology aboard spacecraft provides the necessary
information to mitigate health risks to the crew. While
stringent steps are taken to minimize the presence of
pathogens on spacecraft, medically significant
organisms have been isolated from both the Mir and
ISS. Historically, the method for isolation and
identification of microorganisms from spacecraft
environmental samples depended upon their growth
on culture media. Unfortunately, only a fraction of the
organisms might grow on a specific culture medium,
potentially omitting those microorganisms whose
nutritional and physical requirements for growth are
not met. To address this bias in our understanding of
the ISS environment, the SWAB Flight Experiment was
designed to investigate and develop advanced
monitoring technology to better characterize the ISS
environment.
EARTH BENEFITS
The results of this study provide insight into changes that occur in the microbial ecology of
semi-closed systems. The development of specific primers for bacterial enumeration and fungal
identification during this study advance the ability of ground-based investigators to diagnose
ISS0515E07586 - Astronaut Sunita L.
Williams, Expeditions 14 and 15 flight
engineer, conducts a Surface, Water and
Air Biocharacterization (SWAB) air sampling
in the Destiny laboratory of the International
Space Station.