Reviewing the state of biosensors and lab-on-a- chip technologies: opportunities for extreme environments and space exploration

Abstract

The space race is entering a new era of exploration, in which the number of robotic and human missions to various places in our solar system is rapidly increasing. Despite the recent advances in propulsion and life support technologies, there is a growing need to perform analytical measurements and laboratory experiments across diverse domains of science, while keeping low payload requirements. In this context, lab-on-a-chip nanobiosensors appear to be an emerging technology capable of revolutionizing space exploration, given their low footprint, high accuracy, and low payload requirements. To date, only some approaches for monitoring astronaut health in spacecraft environments have been reported. Although non-invasive molecular diagnostics, like lab-on-a-chip technology, are expected to improve the quality of long-term space missions, their application to monitor microbiological and environmental variables is rarely reported, even for analogous extreme environments on Earth. The possibility of evaluating the occurrence of unknown or unexpected species, identifying redox gradients relevant to microbial metabolism, or testing for specific possible biosignatures, will play a key role in the future of space microbiology. In this review, we will examine the current and potential roles of lab-on-a-chip technology in space exploration and in extreme environment investigation, reporting what has been tested so far, and clarifying the direction toward which the newly developed technologies of portable lab-on-a-chip sensors are heading for exploration in extreme environments and in space.

A Review of Novel Heat Transfer Materials and Fluids for Aerospace Applications

“…Considerable work has also been developed on microfluidic devices for extraterrestrial applications such as advanced environmental control and life-support systems-lab-on-chip systems [102,103]. Examples include microfluidic systems for temperature and humidity control in spacecrafts, trace contaminant monitoring and removal, water quality monitoring, and in vitro physiological monitoring and drug delivery devices [124][125][126][127]. Microfluidic systems have a significant advantage over conventional systems in terms of space, power, and weight requirements, which are a premium in aerospace applications.…”

“…Thus, microfluidics technology can have a large impact on future developments in the aerospace industry and its applications. In the area of aerodynamics, microfluidics will have applications in the design of aerodynamic surfaces such as wings, control surfaces, jet noise control, and flow in turbomachinery [127]. Micropropulsion devices will be used for satellite attitude corrections and formation flights of micro-to femto-sized satellites [127].…”

“…In the area of aerodynamics, microfluidics will have applications in the design of aerodynamic surfaces such as wings, control surfaces, jet noise control, and flow in turbomachinery [127]. Micropropulsion devices will be used for satellite attitude corrections and formation flights of micro-to femto-sized satellites [127]. High-energy-density micropower generation devices, such as fuel cells, will consist of microfluidic components and thermal management devices.…”

Unveiling the bioleaching versatility of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans

“…Bioleaching in ISRU operations can contribute to optimizing the selection of landing sites in the frame of human planetary exploration and infrastructure development in space (Gumulya et al, 2022). Biomining and bioleaching processes coupled with biosensors for space applications and new space technologies will be future methods to perform mineral extraction procedures on planets, comets, asteroids, moons (Cinti et al, 2023).…”