How Microscopic Water Bears Will Help Astronauts With Deep Space Missions

Tardigrades seem to use a whole variety of methods to survive harsh conditions, such as using pigments to transform strong ultraviolet light into harmless blue light. As for surviving space radiation, researchers think this might be something they achieve by producing a lot of antioxidants that protect them from changes to the body. This is of particular interest to NASA and other space agencies because radiation is a major problem for astronauts — one we know how to mitigate but not completely solve. 

Astronauts who work for NASA have a maximum lifetime threshold for the amount of radiation they can be exposed to (via NASA), as too much exposure to radiation can lead to health problems like increased risk of cancer. By studying the tardigrades, the researchers hope they can unlock information about how the tardigrades’ genes being turned on or off can help protect them from radiation.

“We have seen them do this in response to radiation on Earth,” said Boothby, “and we think the ways tardigrades have evolved to withstand extreme environments on this planet may also be what protects them against the stresses of spaceflight.” The tardigrades were taken to the space station onboard the SpaceX Commercial Resupply Services mission 22 on June 3, 2021. They are now living in their new home, a special piece of hardware called the Bioculture System. By studying these tiny creatures over time, researchers could potentially develop safer long-term space missions for humans in the future.