CubeSats for microbiology and astrobiology research

Abstract Space microbiology research contributes to human safety and performance during space exploration by advancing understanding of the effects of reduced gravity and/or radiation on cells and organisms. Astrobiology, on the other hand, seeks a more fundamental understanding of life and the universe; its objectives are also furthered by spaceflight experiments. Experimental progress in both fields is limited partly by access to space aboard human-tended spacecraft and space stations. CubeSats are helping address such limitations by proving to be effective biological experiment spaceflight platforms. NASA's Ames Research Center has developed and operated five CubeSats in low Earth orbit with microbiology or astrobiology missions; technical advances and lessons learned from each “nanosatellite” served as the starting point for the next. Here, we present technical and performance overviews of these biological CubeSats and their scientific results. A preview of the next biological CubeSat mission, bound for interplanetary space, along with potential future applications, is included.