Microbial Adaptation and Its Implications for Human Space Exploration: Challenges, Opportunities, and Sustainability

Space microbiology studies how microorganisms adapt and survive in extreme space conditions such as microgravity, radiation, and vacuum. As space missions extend to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, understanding microbial behaviour is crucial for astronaut health, spacecraft systems, and the search for extraterrestrial life. This review focuses on microbial adaptation to microgravity, biofilm formation, radiation resistance, and microbial populations aboard spacecraft. Microgravity alters microbial growth and promotes biofilm formation, enhancing stress resistance. Radiation-resistant microbes like Deinococcus radiodurans offer potential applications in radiation shielding. Microbial presence on spacecraft presents challenges, such as increased virulence and biofilm-induced damage, but also opportunities for life support systems, including waste recycling and oxygen production. Effective microbial management is vital for sustaining long-term space missions. This review underscores the importance of space microbiology in ensuring safe, sustainable space exploration and advancing the search for life beyond Earth.

Microbial adaptation, Microbial contamination, Microbial behaviour in space, Space biology

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