Microbiomes of Dust from the International Space Station and Earth Cleanrooms

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) data on microbial communities collected from the International Space Station (ISS) and Jet Propulsion Laboratory cleanrooms. The dataset was generated using 16S rRNA gene and ITS sequencing on the 454 platform to compare microbiomes under spaceflight and terrestrial conditions. The primary rationale is crew safety and hardware maintenance for the ISS.

Use Cases

• Compare microbial diversity between space-based and Earth-based controlled environments based on sequencing data.
• Analyze the impact of microgravity, radiation, and elevated CO2 on microbiome composition based on the ISS sample context.
• Develop safety and maintenance protocols for closed habitats based on identified microbial profiles.
• Study built environment microbiomes using next-generation sequencing methods described in the study.

Strengths

• Data originates from the authoritative source National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
• Uses next-generation sequencing (16S rRNA and ITS) on the 454 platform for microbial profiling.
• Samples are from a unique environment (ISS) with microgravity, radiation, and elevated CO2 conditions.
• Includes comparative samples from Earth-based cleanrooms at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and dataset scale are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

16S rRNA gene and ITS sequencing based on the 454 platform. Samples from ISS vacuum cleaner bags and JPL cleanroom vacuum bags.

Time Range

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Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 19:10:34.444643; freshness should be verified.

Geography

International Space Station and Jet Propulsion Laboratory cleanrooms in Pasadena, CA.