WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - NASA announced that researchers have successfully produced cellulose from bacteria cultured on the International Space Station.
The bacteria used in the experiment, K. hansenii, is known to produce the highest amount of cellulose and could be considered for large-scale production in microgravity to support the development of materials used in construction, clothing, and the supply of energy.
Ice Cubes Experiment Cube, a temperature-controlled module typically used for protein crystallization, was used to incubate the target bacteria.
Researchers developed a customized methodology that consisted of adjusting gas and air in various culture vessels in low-temperature conditions.
Future studies could help to promote large scale production of bacterial cellulose to support deep space exploration, according to the U.S. space agency.
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