RR-6: Mouse Feces Metagenomes from Spaceflight and Ground Control

Feces samples from 48 sham-treated mice involved in the Rodent Research-6 mission, which launched on SpaceX-13 in December 2017. DNA was extracted and sequenced to profile the gut microbiome of mice exposed to 29 or >50 days of microgravity on the International Space Station, with corresponding ground control and baseline groups. The data was collected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and last updated in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Compare gut microbiome composition between spaceflight and ground control groups based on the described experimental design.
• Analyze microbial shifts associated with long-duration (>50 days) vs. shorter (29 days) spaceflight exposure.
• Study the stability of the murine microbiome after return to Earth and ambulatory recovery based on the Live Animal Return group timeline.

Strengths

• Experimental design includes multiple control groups (Ground Control and Basal) for robust comparison.
• Sample metadata includes detailed mission parameters, such as launch date (December 15, 2017) and flight durations (29 and >50 days).
• Samples are from a defined cohort of 32-week-old female C57BL/6NTac mice, reducing genetic variability.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is limited to sham-treated animals and does not include samples from the drug treatment arm of the study.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Feces collected from mice flown on the RR-6 mission to the ISS, with DNA extracted and sequenced using metagenomic profiling assays.

Time Range

Samples collected from launch in December 2017 through dissections concluding in May 2018.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 19:34:33.947119; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Samples originated from Kennedy Space Center, the International Space Station, and processing facilities at Novartis and Houston Methodist Research Institute.