Motivation

A major concern for manned missions is space radiation. Ionizing radiation is known to pose both acute and chronic risks to many organisms, including humans. At this time, it is important to expand strategies for radiation protection, including utilizing new materials and fabrication methods that can support health. Radiofungi explores the synthesis of biological pigments, including melanins and carotenoids, for biocompatible radioprotection. Such pigments can be fabricated for a variety of applications, creating a new class of materials and coatings that can protect life on Earth, in deep space, and beyond.

Certain bacteria and fungi show a remarkable ability to persist – and even thrive – in high-radiation environments. The bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans has been shown to survive in extreme conditions, including those with high radiation. Similarly, discovery of fungi inhabiting the interior of the International Space Station and highly irradiated terrestrial sites has led to interest in organisms like the fungus genus Aspergillus. Some of these organisms form biopolymer pigments such as carotenoids and melanins, which are thought to have an important role in the radioresistance of the organisms. For this reason, research is being conducted in different space environments to understand the impact of radiation and the most effective adaptive strategies within biological systems.

Radiofungi examines the growth and behavior of several species in the radiation of space in order to determine mechanisms by which they may adapt to these harsh conditions. Through studying these organisms, we aim to elucidate not only the biological tools that protect and sustain them, but gain a deeper understanding of how life can persist in the most hostile of places.

Digital Design

Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in access to experimental environments in spaceflight or low-earth orbit. However, these environments typically have dramatic spatial and environmental constrains, posing unique design challenges to experimenters. Radiofungi implements a procedural pipeline that optimizes the positioning of payload components and fixes in them in place with a generated geometry that can then be 3D printed. This system can be flexibly applied to a wide range of payload contents and can automatically manage unique conditions such as the positioning of cameras and electrical wires.

Radiofungi’s payload included twenty-four vials of bacterial culture, six petri dishes, two microcomputers, two time-lapse cameras, one geiger counter and a temperature and humidity sensor. All components operated automatically upon the system’s startup and ran for the duration of spaceflight.