Certain nutrients critical for human health lack the shelf life needed to span multi-year missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. NASA’s BioNutrients-3 is part of an experiment series testing ways to use microorganisms to produce these nutrients in space and on demand.
The on-demand nature of this experiment is similar to making nutrient-dense fermented foods on Earth, such as how milk is transformed by good bacteria into yogurt. But in this case, there is a focus on producing specific types and quantities of nutrients essential for future space explorers.
Samples from BioNutrients-3, along with other valuable experiments, are set to return from the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft supporting the company’s 33rd commercial resupply mission for NASA. The spacecraft is set to depart the space station on Thursday, Feb. 26 for its return to Earth. Watch NASA’s live coverage of the undocking and departure starting at 11:45 a.m. EST on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel.
Once the samples return to Earth, the science team at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley will perform analysis procedures. Results from this study can help NASA develop methods to produce vital nutrients that could support human deep space exploration as part of NASA’s Artemis campaign.
NASA’s BioNutrients-3 is part of the Synthetic Biology project, which is funded by the Game Changing Development program within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate.
Oscar Roque, engineer for NASA’s BioNutrients-3 project, works at a console on Oct. 2, 2025, at the Multi-Mission Operations Center at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. The facility allowed the BioNutrients team to remotely observe experiments conducted by crew members aboard the International Space Station and communicate with astronauts in real-time.
NASA/Donald Richey
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