Tardigrades, fantastic microscopic animals that live in water and are capable of surviving extreme environments either on Earth or in space, will be the protagonists of the next launch to the International Space Station. SpaceX’s cargo resupply mission to the ISS that will take place on June 3, will carry a wide range of scientific experiments and a payload of tardigrades (5,000), luminescent squid (128 hatchlings) or cotton plants, among other things. , to better understand how microgravity affects plant resistance, kidney stone formation, and symbiotic relationships between animals. Squids are part of the UMAMI (Understanding Microgravity in Animal-Microbe Interactions) study examining the effects of spaceflight on interactions between beneficial microbes and their animal hosts. Microbes play an important role in the normal development of animal tissues and in maintaining human health.
Other experiments heading to the station include a portable ultrasound, remote operation of robotic arms using virtual reality, analyzing how kidney stones form in space, studying the oral microbiome, and producing more stress-resistant cotton.
Traveling into space can be stressful, but tardigrades still present themselves as truly tough creatures – they have recently survived high-velocity gunfire (900 meters per second) and have endured worse conditions. Tardigrades have been shown to be virtually impossible to kill – they can be frozen, boiled, crushed, and even subjected to radiation. And they continue to survive like nothing.
Hence these powerful abilities have caught the attention of NASA, which hopes to identify the genes that protect it from harsh environments in hopes of better protecting astronauts from the stressors of space.
The experiment will analyze a previously known tardigrade genome, with the aim of identifying genes necessary for adaptation and survival in high-stress environments.
Regarding the squid that will also travel to the ISS, of the species Euprymna scolopes, it is an animal model that scientists use to study the symbiotic relationships between two species. Scientists hope this experiment will uncover the complex interactions between animals and beneficial microbes, including new and novel pathways that microbes use to communicate with animal tissues.
“This research helps determine whether spaceflight alters the mutually beneficial relationship, which could support the development of protection and mitigation measures to preserve the health of astronauts on long-duration space missions. Such knowledge could help identify ways to protect and enhance these relationships to improve human health and well-being on Earth, “NASA said in a press release published this week.
What about cotton?
Growing cotton in Earth orbit can help us find out which environmental factors and genes control root development in the absence of gravity, with the intention of allowing the development of more robust cotton plants and reducing the use of water and pesticides in the field. Land.
Reference: NASA
