Texas State University is reaching for the stars — literally. A NASA-funded project led by TXST faculty and students has been profiled on the International Space Station homepage. The research highlights the university’s role in advancing research critical to future space exploration.
The study — “Bacterial Adhesion and Corrosion (BAC)” — investigates how bacteria form biofilms in microgravity and tests innovative silver- based disinfectants designed to keep astronauts and equipment safe. Biofilms (sticky microbial communities) can damage spacecraft hard- ware, clog water systems and pose a threat to astronaut health if left unchecked. By tackling these microbial challenges, TXST’s research aims to help NASA safeguard the next generation of long-duration missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.
TXST’s experiments launched aboard SpaceX21 and returned on Crew-1 (December 2020 – March 2021). A reflight followed on SpaceX-29, returning on Crew-7 (November 2023 – March 2024). In January 2021, astronaut Kate Rubins performed handson work with the samples in a vital collaboration between ISS crews and the TXST research team.
