New space-adapted bacteria species found on the Chinese space station

Scientists have discovered a previously unknown strain of microbe after analysing samples taken from China's Tiangong space station.

- ANDREW JONES

The new microbe strain, officially named Niallia tiangongensis, was found in microbial samples collected from the surfaces of Tiangong during the Shenzhou 15 crewed mission, which returned to Earth in June 2023. The new microbe is an aerobic, spore-forming and rod-shaped bacteria, according to a study recently published in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. It's the first time a new species has been discovered aboard Tiangong, a three-module space station in low-Earth orbit.