New microbe found aboard Tiangong

First-of-its-kind discovery expected to contribute to future space expeditions

China's Tiangong space station has enabled researchers to achieve a series of scientific and technological breakthroughs since its completion two and a half years ago. In the latest development, Chinese scientists have identified a new bacterial strain aboard the orbital outpost.

The novel microbe, officially named Niallia tiangongensis, was collected by astronauts inside the space station in May 2023 during the Shenzhou XV mission, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

Astronauts used sterile wipes to gather samples from interior surfaces and placed them in low-temperature storage before returning them to Earth for genomic and metabolic analysis.