The Effect of Microgravity on Shewanella oneidensis

Group Members Teacher Facilitator School Esteban Fuentes - Principal Investigator Ayomide Akintola - Co-Principal Investigator Abdul Ahtesham - Co-Principal Investigator Umar Shakih - Collaborator Teacher Facilitator Michael Bowling Geometry Teacher School Harmony Science Academy Houston-High Houston, Texas

Inspiration

Problem Currently orbiting earth, NASA estimates: 21,000+ man-made space debris larger than 10 cm (which NASA is tracking) 500,000+ smaller 10 cm (hard to detect traveling at 17,500 mph Astronauts delay work on satellites to avoid being hit by space junk 2013 – russian space craft damaged by debris from a 2007 chinese satellite explosion

Earth 2,000 km from the surface. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/news/orbital_debris.html

Driving Question

How can we reduce the amount of space debris? We propose to send Shewanella Oneidensis (MR-1) to the ISS to study its ability to consume metal in microgravity.

What is MR-1

S.Oneidensis (MR-1) is a bacterium which lives in both anaerobic and aerobic environments. This extraordinary microbe feeds on, and thereby consumes, both poisonous and non-poisonous metals such as iron, lead, aluminum, and uranium.

Shewanella Oneidensis http://phylomedb.org/?q=node/450

Experiment Design

S. Oneidensis + Distilled water Lead Materials: 4 mL of distilled water. 2.5 mL of S. oneidensis (MR-1) 2.00 g lead. Silicon Tube S. Oneidensis + Distilled water Lead Compartment A Clamp Compartment B

Hypothesis

If we were to send S. Oneidensis into a microgravity environment, then the microbe’s ability to consume metal should remain unaffected.

Sponsors

Questions? Works Cited [Russian Satellite Hit by Debris from Chinese Anti-Satellite Test]. (2013, March 8). Retrieved June 20, 2016, from http://www.space.com/20138-russian-satellite-chinese-space-junk.html [Space Debris and Human Spacecraft Retrieved] Retrieved June 20, 2016, from http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/news/orbital_debris.html