Radical change in the spacecraft: they ask to be dirty
Pieter Dorrestein, researcher at the University of California, states that the lack of microbes and molecules prevents the immune system from being stimulated.
Life in space could change from what it has been until now. For many years, efforts have focused on making space environments as sterile as possible to prevent astronauts from contracting any diseases. Additionally, this approach seeks to avoid contaminating other planets with microbes that may originate from Earth.
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However, this might change, according to an expert after analyzing 700 surface samples from the International Space Station (ISS). “The general idea is to try to have the least amount of microbes possible, but the question is whether this will be the best option for long-duration space travel,” says Pieter Dorrestein, a researcher at the University of California in San Diego.
A comment that extends to other environments maintained with absolute cleanliness, such as research stations, hospitals, and submarines. According to Dorrestein, the ISS is “extremely clean” in terms of molecule and microbe diversity. “The space station is simply devoid of many molecules and microbes. It’s the extreme of human life in a controlled environment,” he explains.
An ‘impulse’ to the immune system
Although this might seem like a positive aspect, for the researcher, it is not so much. Together with his team, this lack of exposure to bacteria could be the reason for several changes in the immune systems of astronauts traveling in space. It’s not uncommon for ISS passengers to suffer from skin rashes, unusual allergies, infections, or the reactivation of dormant viruses, such as Epstein-Barr.
While the expert acknowledges that they don’t fully understand this phenomenon, he believes that “the immune system needs to be stimulated periodically.” Thus, he suggests that the future of spacecraft may involve dirtier environments, with a variety of molecules and microbes, but in a controlled manner that does not compromise the astronauts’ health.
One of the proposals could be the application of Bacillus subtilis bacteria, used in other environments due to its antifungal activity. “We know from other studies that when people are exposed to a higher number of plant molecules, they tend to have fewer cases of asthma and allergies,” concludes the expert.