Vega, Leticia

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Vega 4-5717
Leticia Vega
Beneficial Microbes in Spaceflight or: 
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and 
Love the Bugs
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20160001731 2019-08-31T04:21:40+00:00Z
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Background
• Microorganisms have been 
hitchhiking their way into space 
since the beginning of manned 
spaceflight 
• Apollo
• Space Shuttle
• ISS
• Typically considered a nuisance
February 10, 2016 2
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Life Support Requirements
3
Open-loop life support system resupply mass
12,000 kg/person-year
(26,500 lbs/person-year) 
Water 
89%
Oxygen 2.5%
Food (dry) 2.2%
Crew supplies 2.1%
Gases lost to space 2.1%
Systems maintenance 2.1%
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Water Recovery Architectures
4
Adsorption/Ion-
Exchange
Distillation/
Evaporation 
Urine Storage
Urine + Flush 
Water
Potable Water 
Storage
Brine Storage
Condensate Urine Brine
Condensate 
Storage
Humidity & ARS 
Condensate Water
Physiochemical Water Processor (ISS)
Reverse Osmosis or 
FO/RO
Wastewater 
Storage
All Wastewater Types
Urine, condensate, hygiene water (including hand wash and shower) 
and laundry
Brine Storage or 
Water Recovery
Permeate Mixed Brine
Biological Water Processor
Urine Pretreatment
(Acid + CrO3)
Biological 
Nitrification/ 
Denitrification
O2
Vent 
Gas
ARS = Atmosphere Revitalization System (CO2 Reduction); FO/RO = Forward Osmosis/Reverse Osmosis
Acid
Catalytic Oxidation
O2
Vent 
Gas
Potable Water 
Storage
Catalytic Oxidation
O2
Vent 
Gas
Condensate 
Storage
Split Wastewater (condensate & urine only)
Resupply
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Biological Water Processor (BWP)
• Comprised of four (4) membrane 
aerated bioreactors (MABR) 
• Tube-in-tube design
• Oxygen module: contained 
membranes where the 
biological activities take place
• Water shell: Contained the 
fluid and provided structural 
support to oxygen module 
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SND Process
February 10, 2016 6
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Test Summary
• BWP operated for 286 days in a four reactor 
configuration
• 84% TOC removal 
• 56% Ammonium conversion 
• Took 71 days to go from inoculation to full operations  
(i.e. process all wastewater components
• Could that duration reduced?
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Rapid Start Evaluation
• Goal: to reduce the time from inoculation to steady-
state operations
• Two components to testing: 
• Membrane modification evaluation
• Chemically etched tubing 
• Conditioned tubing
• Inoculation protocol validation
• Diluted vs non-diluted inoculum 
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Step
Volume fraction
(% added of daily 
feed volume, 
14.5L)
Influent 
composition
Volume Feed Rate
100%
Filtered
inoculum
60 liters total 0 (in recycle)
First 50% Urine in DI
7.5 L total
(1.14L urine)
5.0 ml/min
Second 75% Urine in DI
10.9L total:
(1.7L urine)
7.6 ml/min
Third 100% Urine in DI
14.5L total:
(2.275L urine)
10.1 ml/min
Fourth 100%
Full wastewater 
combined 
stream
14.5L combined 
wastewater
10.1 ml/min
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Etched vs Conditioned Membranes
Etched 
Conditioned
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pH and DO: Etched vs. Conditioned 
pH 
DO
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Summary and Next Steps
• Reduced duration of inoculation from 71 to 13 days 
• Further work
• Evaluate physical characteristics of membranes 
• Repeat rapid inoculation protocol in subsequent bioreactor 
tests for reproducibility 
• Evaluate surface area loading rates 
• Develop design specifications for an on-orbit MABR
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Physiological Changes in Spaceflight 
• Bone loss
• Muscle atrophy 
• Vision issues 
• Depressed immunity 
• Virus reactivation 
February 10, 2016 13
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Hosts and Microbes on ISS
14
• Microbiome (Hernan Lorenzi, J Craig Venter 
Institute) – Evaluating changes in the microbiome 
and immune status of nine astronauts during 
spaceflight missions. 
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Impact of Long-term Space Travel 
on an Astronaut's Microbiome
• Background: Very limited information is available on potential changes in 
the astronaut microbiome. Current evidence suggests these changes could 
have major impact on crew health.
• Research Questions: What are the changes in the crew microbiome and 
could they have health implications?
• Status: This study designed to gather information on changes in the crew 
microbiome before during and after spaceflight missions. Samples include 
nasal, fecal, multiple skin, and environmental sites. Sample size is 9 
astronauts. Samples continue to be batched and sent to the PI’s institution 
for analysis. Sample collection is due to finish in August 2016.
• Benefit: While this study is a small overall sample size, these samples 
should provide a foundation from which (a) definition of any potential crew 
health problems can begin and (b) follow up studies can be solicited.
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Microbiome Experiment Design
Pre-Flight In-Flight** Post-Flight
Subject Swabs
L-240, L-150, L-90, L-60
Subject Swabs 
FD7, FD90, R-14
Subject Swabs
R+1/3, R+30, R+60
Gastrointestinal Sampling
L-240, L-150, L-90, L-60
Gastrointestinal Sampling 
(optional)
FD7, FD90, R-14
Gastrointestinal Sampling
R+1/3, R+30, R+60
Blood Draw*
L-60
Blood Draw**
FD7, R-1
Blood Draw*
R+0, R+180
Saliva Collection***
L-240, L-150, L-90, L-60
Saliva Collection***
FD7, FD90, R-14
Saliva Collection***
R+1/3, R+30, R+60, R+180
Perspiration Swabs
FD7, R-14
ISS Surface Swabs
FD7, R-14
Potable Water Collection
R-14 (once per increment)
*Shared stick with Med Ops
**If possible, sessions will occur concurrently with existing medical/research activities
***Each session consists of a 7-day period with a sample collection performed every other day 
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Thank you!


Beneficial Microbes in Spaceflight or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bugs

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