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NRL Fungal Experiment Launches as Artemis I Payload
The NRL experiment will use samples of fungi to investigate effects of the deep space radiation environment outside of Earth's protective magnetosphere.
[...] In addition to being found in human environments, fungi are notable for their natural mechanisms to protect and repair DNA damage caused by radiation. The experiment seeks to understand fungi's radiation protective qualities, as well as generally studying how biological systems adapt to deep space.
[...] "Looking at the impact of melanin and DNA repair pathways in the samples with the effects of both cosmic radiation and microgravity will increase our knowledge for how humans may be impacted at the Moon and beyond as we continue to explore further," said Zheng Wang, NRL microbiologist and the principal investigator on this project. "We also hope to gain knowledge for the development of new ways to protect astronauts and equipment during space travel. As the fungi adapt to the space environment they may also produce novel biomolecules that could have therapeutic potentials."
While NRL has a long history in space exploration, stretching back to the V-2 rocket test in the late 1940s, this experiment marks a first in space for the Lab. The fungal experiment will become the first biological project performed at NRL to be launched to space.
[...] The NRL experiment is one of four space biology investigations selected for Biological Experiment 01 (BioExpt-01) mission aboard the Orion spacecraft by NASA's Space Biology Program. During the Artemis I mission, the fungal samples will be stored in a specialized Biological Research in Canisters system within the crew compartment of NASA's Orion capsule. According to NASA, all of the investigations aim to study DNA damage and protection from radiation, which for Moon missions experience approximately twice as much radiation exposure as levels on the ISS.
Accompanying video [youtube.com]
