Jul 27, 2011 06:59 GMT  ·  By

Scientists have know for quite some time now that exposure to microgravity influences the way microorganisms develop. Some strains become more virulent, whereas others are less so. Experts are now conducting more research on the issue, in order to benefit future space explorers.

There is currently no doubt that the future of space exploration lies beyond low-Earth orbit (LEO). The Moon, Mars, and other objects in the solar system await our spacecraft, but specialists still find it nearly impossible to entertain the idea of a long-duration manned journey.

There are many things that need to be taken into account beforehand, such as for instance how the human brain would react to more than one and a half years of isolation in confined spaces. This is how long it would take for a crew to get to Mars and back.

But another important issue is that of bacteria contamination. These microorganisms develop differently in weightlessness than they do here on Earth, and investigators need to figure out these patterns as soon as possible, Space reports.

Experts admit that it's very complicated to keep people alive in space. Our guts, for example, are populated by thousands of species of bacteria, that could kill us over the course of a long voyage.

Ongoing experiments are seeking to determine how the behavior of bacteria in zero gravity would affect astronauts. Recently, a shuttle mission carried squid gut bacteria to orbit, in a bid to determine how the new environment changes the microorganism.

“We're very concerned with the potential of increased infectious disease,” expert Cheryl Nickerson says of the challenges associated with long-term space journeys. She is a professor in the Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccinology at the Arizona State University (ASU) Biodesign Institute.

“They're living, if you will, in a tin can. It's a closed environmental system […] It becomes very important for us to understand the microflora in our bodies, both the good and the bad ones,” the investigator goes on to say.

Over the years, studies conducted on microbes in space have revealed that some of the organisms become more virulent, while others less some. Some then to grow extremely fast, whereas others display reduced growth patterns.

What the new study did was look at how pathogenic bacteria's ability to cause infection is changed by their presence in space. At this point, NASA does not have any type of policy regarding healthy procedures on long-term missions.

“We need to be prepared to be able, to the best of our ability, to effectively diagnose, treat and handle an infectious disease outbreak,” Nickerson concludes.