Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #31695: Navigating in Space: Studying Bacterial Chemotaxis in Microgravity

Bacterial chemotaxis—the movement of bacteria toward or away from chemical stimuli—is fundamental to microbial survival and adaptation. But what happens when gravity, one of the forces that guide this movement on Earth, is removed? Valley Christian High School students designed a project to investigate bacterial chemotaxis in microgravity aboard the ISS during Expeditions 47/48.

Using the NanoRacks platform, they exposed bacteria to chemical gradients in a microgravity environment and monitored how the bacteria moved—or didn’t move—toward the stimuli. The main focus was to see if microgravity altered their directional movement and how quickly they could adapt.

The results revealed interesting shifts in behavior. Some bacteria showed slower responses, while others exhibited unexpected pathways toward attractants. This could mean that gravity plays a more significant role in cellular orientation than previously thought. Such insights could improve our understanding of microbial behavior in space habitats and help design better systems for bioremediation or bio-manufacturing in orbit.

This project highlights how student-led experiments can yield meaningful scientific contributions. It also reflects the expanding role of biology in space research as we aim for long-term human presence beyond Earth.

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