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Russian cosmonaut speaks about experiment to grow microalgae on ISS

"The purpose of the experiment is to create a photobioreactor for biotechnological experiments and obtaining food and oxygen by culturing microalgae in microgravity," Oleg Kononenko said

ISS, September 5. /TASS/. TASS special correspondent on the International Space Station (ISS), commander of the Roscosmos cosmonaut squad Oleg Kononenko has explained the peculiarities of the Photobioreactor research experiment in obtaining food and oxygen by growing microalgae in microgravity conditions.

Kononenko also shared a video of Roscosmos cosmonaut Nikolay Chub performing the replacement of a container with a nutrient medium and pre-sterilization using the Gove Box-S apparatus.

"The purpose of the experiment is to create a photobioreactor for biotechnological experiments and obtaining food and oxygen by culturing microalgae in microgravity. Spirulina strains are the objects of study," Kononenko said.

The cosmonaut noted that the experiment involved research equipment Photobioreactor, consisting of modules Bioplatform, Biomodule and Nutrient medium, a thermostat with a temperature setting of 4 degrees above freezing for the storage of the Nutrient medium cassette and equipment Glove Box-S for replacing containers with the nutrient medium.