In this NSF-funded project, in collaboration with Dr. Dorthe Wildenschild in Environmental Engineering at OSU, we are working closely with our implementation partner, Redwire Space, who will provide crucial support in executing our experiments. The primary objective of this project is to explore the effect of microG vs. 1G on the development of three‐dimensional architecture of biofilms in porous media in the absence of capillarity. Biofilms are complex communities of microorganisms that form on surfaces and are enveloped in an extracellular matrix primarily composed of water and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). The growth of biofilms in media with tortuous geometries, such as porous media, is critical in both natural and engineered systems. Understanding biofilm development in these environments is crucial due to their widespread applications in contamination mitigation, resource recovery, and potential detrimental effects like overgrowth and clogging. These challenges span across diverse fields, including clean water and energy, oil and gas, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, microfluidics, and energy storage.

While substantial research has focused on biofilm growth and architecture under saturated conditions, studies addressing unsaturated conditions remain sparse. The complexity of these studies is primarily due to the influence of capillary (interfacial) forces, which are difficult to isolate from other variables under Earth's gravity (1G). We propose conducting biofilm growth experiments under unsaturated conditions in microgravity (microG) aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to address this gap. This unique environment will enable us to interpret the specific impact of capillary forces on biofilm evolution, offering insights applicable to Earth-based systems.