Manuel Sánchez Castro is a research affiliate at the MIT Media Lab leading an initiative focused on testing aerosolized oxidant agents as a means of surface disinfection in microgravity. The project aims to evaluate whether the antimicrobial properties of these oxidants —known to be effective against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores on Earth— are preserved in space-like conditions.
The team uses non-toxic biological indicators immobilized on stainless steel substrates to assess inactivation efficiency. In parallel, the experiment studies the dispersion behavior of aerosolized liquids in microgravity using colorimetric chemical indicators distributed throughout a sealed glovebox setup.
The first test flight took place aboard a Zero-G aircraft in 2024, validating the experimental platform and methodology. Building on these results, a second flight is planned for May 2025 to further investigate optimized delivery and formulation strategies. The project contributes to a broader effort to develop safe, effective, and scalable disinfection systems for use in long-duration space missions and extraterrestrial habitats.