bioRxivBioengineeringPreprint
A Proof-of-Concept Study on Attached Spirulina Cultivation Under Microgravity and Partial Gravity Aboard the ISS
Takashi InadaiD, Motoshi KamadaiD, Hayato Ohkuma, Toru ShimazuiD, Junya Kirima, Yasuyuki KikuchiiD, Haruo Kasahara, Tomokazu YamazakiiD, Kana Kuriyama, Eriko Moriyama, Shinichi Aoki, Takanori Hoshino
Abstract
Microalgal attached cultivation circumvents gas-liquid separation issues of liquid-suspended cultivation, yet performance under reduced gravity remains unevaluated. As a proof-of-concept, we evaluated Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina) cultivation under artificial 1G, 1/6G, and microgravity ({micro}G) on the International Space Station. Spirulina expanded without cell detachment, medium floating, or component separation, with relative radial growth rates of 0.28%0.5 day-1 (1G), 0.22%0.5 day-1 (1/6G), and 0.17-0.21%0.5 day-1 ({micro}G), demonstrating feasibility in space.
- Citations
- 0
Reproducibility ledger
Nobody has reported trying to reproduce this paper yet. Did you replicate an experiment or run the code? Your report saves the next lab a week.
Sign in to file a reproducibility report.
Related papers
- Efficient long-term cryopreservation of Arthrospira platensis NIES-39 and adaptation for the Space Algae-2 spaceflight experiment
Katherine E. Fisher, A. Mark Settles·npj MicrogravityPeer-reviewed·Apr 22, 2026
- Life cycle of arabidopsis in the international space station - Growth direction of the inflorescence stems in the presence of light under microgravity
U. Yashiro, I. Karahara, … S. Kamisaka·bioRxiv·Sep 30, 2020
- Synthetic algal-bacteria consortia for space-efficient microalgal growth in a simple hydrogel system
N. Martin, T. Bernat, … D. Wangpraseurt·bioRxiv·Mar 1, 2021
- Assessing Arthrospira platensis Growth Rates in three Jeju Local Medium, Including Jeju Magma Seawater.
H. L. Jang·bioRxiv·Oct 30, 2023
- Illumination optimization and low-power trapping of Limnospira indica PCC 8005 using bulk acoustic waves in microgravity
Bérénice Dupont, Xavier Benoit-Gonin, … Maxime Ardré·npj MicrogravityPeer-reviewed·Feb 25, 2026
- Real-time, in situ fluorescence and optical density measurements of liquid cultures in simulated microgravity
Stephen Lantin, Mayur Bansal, … Jessica A. Lee·bioRxiv·Mar 25, 2026