Polish scientists launch "Space Volcanic Algae" to test life-support solutions for future space missions
On the International Space Station (ISS), scientists will soon study microalgae species that naturally thrive around volcanoes and geysers. The research aims to understand how microgravity affects microorganisms that could one day be crucial for producing oxygen, food, or new substances during long-duration space missions.
education ecology worldwide equipment and technology newsToday | 14:12 | Source: PAP / Gazeta Morska | Prepared by: Anna Bugajska | Print
fot. Wikimedia Commons
The experiment, titled "Space Volcanic Algae", is one of 13 scientific and technological experiments selected for Poland’s IGNIS mission to the ISS. It will be conducted by Dr. Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, a Polish project astronaut for the European Space Agency (ESA). The Ax-4 mission is scheduled to launch "no earlier than May."
Certain species of algae are classified as extremophiles, meaning they have a remarkable resistance to extreme conditions such as high pressure, extreme temperatures, radiation, or elevated concentrations of various chemicals. In the "Space Volcanic Algae" experiment, researchers will investigate how these resilient microalgae endure the harsh environment of space. Insights from the study could pave the way for using such microorganisms to enrich air with oxygen, accelerate food production in space habitats, or process waste during future space missions.
The project is led by Ewa Borowska, Chief Technology Officer and scientist at Extremo Technologies.
In an interview with the Polish Press Agency (PAP), Borowska explained that the experiment consists of two main parts: "First, we will monitor oxygen production and photosynthesis in microalgae using an innovative oxygen sensor developed together with engineers from the University of Tartu (Estonia). Secondly, we will analyze genetic and morphological changes in the algae cells under microgravity conditions."
The microalgae species selected for this mission are similar to those naturally found in geothermal regions such as Iceland and Yellowstone National Park (USA), where microbial mats composed of algae, bacteria, and fungi create vivid color displays in hot springs.
- We selected two volcanic microalgae species that thrive in environments rich in heavy metals, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide. Their metabolic processes enable rapid carbon dioxide capture and oxygen production, Borowska noted.
The researchers are interested not only in the oxygen output of the microalgae in orbit but also in the metabolic byproducts that may appear under microgravity conditions.
- It is already known that various bacteria and even cancer cells divide faster in microgravity, producing more metabolites—chemical compounds generated during metabolic processes. Microalgae adapt rapidly to new environments, so a two-week experiment will allow us to observe functional changes. We hope to discover new compounds that could eventually be applied in pharmacology, medicine, or environmental protection, Borowska added.
Additionally, the team will test a specific substance produced by microorganisms to assess whether it can protect algae cells against microgravity and cosmic radiation, potentially by strengthening the cellular membrane.
The microalgae will be housed in a fully automated aluminum "cube" connected to the ISS's power supply in the European Columbus laboratory module.
- This facility hosts the ICE Cubes Facility (International Commercial Experiment Cubes), operated by ICE Cubes Service, which is implementing the 'Space Volcanic Algae' experiment. Once plugged in, the software will activate the oxygen sensor and LED lights to illuminate the algae. Our team designed and built this automated mini-laboratory from scratch, Borowska explained.
Notably, the algae will not be cultivated in water but in a specially developed gel formulated by Extremo Technologies.
After the experiment, the cube containing the microalgae will return to Earth alongside the Ax-4 mission crew. Researchers will then compare the space-grown samples to identical Earth-based controls grown in a duplicate cube.
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