ESA/NASA
Astronaut Michael Scott Hopkins conducts a microgravity experiment on the International Space Station.
In an experiment conducted aboard the International Space Station, a NASA astronaut successfully extracted minerals from meteorites — using microbes.
Using microorganisms to extract minerals from meteorites could be an effective way to get precious metals in spaceargue the scientists.
And that was the scope of an experiment aboard the International Space Station, which looked at how this type of mining in low-gravity environments could support space exploration.
The experiment, led by NASA astronaut Michael Scott Hopkinsserved as a basis for one of the researchers from Cornell University and the University of Edinburgh, whose results were recently published in the journal Microgravity.
“This is probably the first experience of its kind on the International Space Station with meteorites,” he said. Rosa Santomartinoprofessor at Cornell and first author of the study, speaking to .
The experience used two distinct microorganisms for extraction from the meteorite: a bacteria called Sphingomonas desiccabilis and the fungus The simplest brush.
“They are two completely different speciesand they will extract different things,” said Santomartino. “We wanted to understand the how and what, but keeping the results pertinent in a broader perspective, as little is known about the mechanisms that influence microbial behavior in space.”
The microbes “mined” the samples through the production of acids carboxylics, which linked to minerals present in meteorites. These acids facilitate the release of minerals into a liquid solution.
The researchers wanted to understand, in particular, how the extraction method worked in space andcompared to what happens on Earth. Although the method worked similarly in both environments, there were some interesting differences, he said. Alessandro Stirpea Cornell researcher, in the same statement.
It was found that the space altered the fungus’ microbial metabolismwhich allowed him to increase the production of molecules, including carboxylic acids. “This enhanced the release of palladium as well as platinum and other elements”, says the statement.
The researchers warned that there are many variables, so their work may not necessarily lead to a clear conclusion. “Another complex but very interesting result, I think, is the fact that the extraction rate varies considerably depending on the metal in questionand also depending on the microbe and the severity conditions”, stated Santomartino.
A production of resources in space has gained increasing importance as companies and space agencies study ways to reduce the costs of long-duration space travel. One of the ways to reduce these costs is to extraction of materials in the space itself.
Some of the minerals that can be mined in space are very valuable. Palladium is a precious metal with a wide range of specialized uses in technology, and even very small quantities can reach values of thousands of dollars.
