In the vast frontier of space exploration, an often underestimated yet profoundly influential biological system is emerging as a critical consideration for the future of human ventures beyond Earth: biofilms. These complex microbial communities, long studied on our planet, are now under intense scrutiny for their dual role in spaceflight — as both potential threats and invaluable allies in sustaining human life during long-duration missions.

Biofilms are structured assemblies of microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi, that adhere to surfaces and encapsulate themselves within a self-produced extracellular matrix. This matrix forms a protective blanket, fostering a dynamic environment where microbes exchange nutrients, communicate via chemical signaling, and collectively shield themselves from hostile conditions. Such microbial “cities” are not confined to Earth but are now recognized as pertinent entities in the unique environments of space habitats.

At the University of Houston, microbiologist Madhan Tirumalai, a member of NASA’s Analysis Working Groups (AWG), collaborates with an international team to dissect the implications of biofilms in space. Their latest comprehensive review, published in npj Biofilms and Microbiomes, integrates extensive datasets from NASA’s Open Science Data Repository, shedding light on how spaceflight’s distinctive stressors — microgravity, cosmic radiation, and altered immune responses — influence microbial community dynamics and biofilm formation.

The environment aboard the International Space Station (ISS) provides an extraordinary laboratory for such investigations. Astronauts contend with a constellation of physiological challenges, including compromised immune systems that could be exacerbated by the presence and behavior of biofilms. Despite their significance, microbial communities and their formation into biofilms have been a relatively underexplored dimension of space biology, representing a critical knowledge gap for mission safety and success.

Tirumalai emphasizes the urgency of this research. Understanding how the microgravity and radiation of space affect biofilm development is vital since biofilms can harbor pathogenic microbes, potentially increasing infection risks for astronauts. Moreover, adaptive mutations in biofilm-related genes observed under spaceflight conditions might confer enhanced resilience, complicating treatment strategies. This persistence and adaptability raise concerns akin to the broader issue of antibiotic resistance, a global health challenge now transposed into the extraterrestrial context.

Yet, biofilms offer more than risks; they present a suite of opportunities for technological innovation in spaceflight. By harnessing their unique properties, biofilms could be developed into biotechnological tools integral to life support systems. Applications include engineered biofilms capable of supporting plant growth in space agriculture, advanced biofilm-based drug delivery systems tailored for microgravity, and therapeutic strategies to stabilize astronauts’ microbial balance, mitigating dysbiosis-related health issues during prolonged missions.

Lead author Katherine Baxter from the University of Glasgow highlights the fundamental nature of biofilms, stating that their ecological roles on Earth imply an equally foundational presence in space. Dental plaque, biofilms in plumbing systems, and microbial layers on medical instruments are terrestrial reminders of their ubiquity and resilience. Extending these insights to the extraterrestrial environment enhances our capacity to anticipate and manipulate microbial behavior in pursuit of safer, more efficient space habitation.

Intriguingly, prior research led by Tirumalai has demonstrated that bacteria inhabiting spacecraft assembly clean rooms — environments meticulously sterilized to prevent contamination — can survive and potentially thrive, accentuating the tenacity of microbial life even under stringent controls. This finding underscores the importance of integrating microbiological considerations into spacecraft design and maintenance, particularly as missions aim for more distant, longer-term objectives.

The biological interplay between humans and microbes has been co-evolving over millions of years on Earth, a narrative of symbiosis and coexistence. Translating this understanding to spaceflight necessitates an interdisciplinary approach, amalgamating microbiology, space medicine, environmental sciences, and engineering disciplines. Forward-looking strategies informed by biofilm research could enable not only risk mitigation but also the exploitation of microbial capabilities as fundamental elements of extraterrestrial ecosystems.

As humanity stands on the precipice of expanded space exploration — encompassing lunar bases, Martian colonies, and beyond — the mastery of biofilms and the microbial ecosystems associated with human habitats will shape the trajectory of our extraterrestrial endeavors. The implications of this research extend from the microscopic scale of genes and cells to the macroscopic challenges of human health, habitat sustainability, and mission resilience.

With technological advancements already underway, such as biofilm-based drug delivery and microbial therapies, the gap between theoretical insights and practical applications is rapidly closing. This promising convergence signals a new epoch wherein microbiology not only confronts the challenges of spaceflight but also lays the groundwork for innovative solutions vital to human survival and flourishing in the cosmos.

Ultimately, as Tirumalai reflects, the exploration of space is inextricably tied to the exploration of microbial life under unprecedented conditions. The next leap into the final frontier demands a fundamental grasp of biofilms, ensuring that the invisible microbial passengers aboard our spacecraft are managed with the precision and respect they warrant in pursuit of humanity’s grand cosmic journey.

Subject of Research: Microbial biofilms and their impact on human space exploration

Article Title: Biofilms in space: microbial communities shaping the future of human spaceflight

News Publication Date: January 22, 2025

Web References:

NASA Analysis Working Groups (AWG): https://science.nasa.gov/biological-physical/data/awg/
Published Review Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41522-025-00875-8
Related Research on Space Assembly Clean Rooms: https://www.uh.edu/news-events/stories/2025/october/10082025-dormant-spacecraft-clean-room-bacteria.php

References:

PubMed Immune System Changes in Space: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30018614/
Previous Research on Biofilm Gene Adaptations: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28649637/
Antibiotic Resistance and Biofilms: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1931312819302914?

Image Credits: University of Houston

Keywords: Microbiology, Microorganisms, Microbial physiology, Microbiota, Gut microbiota, Human microbiota, Biofilms, Microbial ecology, Fungal biofilms, Microbial diversity, Space sciences, Space exploration, Space research, Space technology, Astronauts, Space flight, Manned space missions, Space medicine

Tags: biofilms and long-duration space missionsbiofilms in space traveleffects of microgravity on microbesextracellular matrix of biofilmsimpact of cosmic radiation on microbesMadhan Tirumalai NASA collaborationmicrobial communities in space habitatsmicrobial protection mechanisms in spaceNASA biofilm researchspace microbiology advancementsspaceflight microbial dynamicsUniversity of Houston space microbiology