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EP: Fachverband Extraterrestrische Physik
EP 11: Planets and Small Bodies II
EP 11.3: Talk
Thursday, April 2, 2009, 14:00–14:15, HS-Ost Pharmazie
Astrobiological ESA experiment BIOPAN 6 and outlook to experiments on EXPOSE/ISS, Moon, Mars and beyond Lichens, symbiont cells and ascospores after space exposure — •Jean-Pierre Paul de Vera1, Sieglinde Ott2, Rosa de la Torre3, and Silvano Onofri4 — 1DLR, Berlin, Deutschland — 2Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf, Deutschland — 3INTA, Madrid, Spanien — 4Universitá della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italien
Astrobiological investigations have been performed to check different organisms on the ability to resist scenarios of a suggested natural interplanetary transfer of life from a donor planet to an acceptor planet. Whereas the main focus of previous studies was on the resistance of bacteria and their colony forming capacity after space exposure, only a few experiments on eukaryotic microorganisms with symbiotic organization forms like lichens, were performed in space. The maintenance of physiologic activity of eukaryotic organisms after exposure to space conditions, reproduction capacity and intact cell structures as essential parts of vitality check were analyzed after the last ESA experiment on BIOPAN 6. The results are clearly emphasizing quantitatively the high survival capacity and ability of maintenance of germination and growth capacity of the investigated lichens and their symbionts. Currently other long duration experiments with the same organisms are performed and still in progress on the ESA-Columbus Module/EXPOSE/ISS. An outlook about expected results and some visions about the use of investigated organisms in future astrobiological Moon and Mars projects will be the main task of discussion.