Onofri, S. and de la Torre Noetzel, R. and de Vera, Jean Pierre Paul and Ott, S. and Zucconi, L. and Selbmann, L. and Scalzi, Giuliano and Venkateswaran, Kasthuri J. and Rabbow, Elke and Sánchez Iñigo, F.J. and Horneck, G. (2012) Survival of rock-colonizing organisms after 1.5 years in outer space. Astrobiology, pp. 508-516. Mary Ann Liebert Inc.. doi: 10.1089/ast2011.0736.
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Abstract
Cryptoendolithic microbial communities and epilithic lichens have been considered as appropriate candidates for the scenario of lithopanspermia, which proposes a natural interplanetary exchange of organisms by means of rocks that have been impact ejected from their planet of origin. So far, the hardiness of these terrestrial organisms in the severe and hostile conditions of space has not been tested over extended periods of time. A first long-term (1.5 years) exposure experiment in space was performed with a variety of rock-colonizing eukaryotic organisms at the International Space Station on board the European EXPOSE-E facility. Organisms were selected that are especially adapted to cope with the environmental extremes of their natural habitats. It was found that someâÂÂbut not allâÂÂof those most robust microbial communities from extremely hostile regions on Earth are also partially resistant to the even more hostile environment of outer space, including high vacuum, temperature fluctuation, the full spectrum of extraterrestrial solar electromagnetic radiation, and cosmic ionizing radiation. Although the reported experimental period of 1.5 years in space is not comparable with the time spans of thousands or millions of years believed to be required for lithopanspermia, our data provide first evidence of the differential hardiness of cryptoendolithic communities in space.
Item URL in elib: | https://elib.dlr.de/79620/ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Document Type: | Article | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Title: | Survival of rock-colonizing organisms after 1.5 years in outer space | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Authors: |
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Date: | May 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Journal or Publication Title: | Astrobiology | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Refereed publication: | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Open Access: | No | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gold Open Access: | No | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In SCOPUS: | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In ISI Web of Science: | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DOI: | 10.1089/ast2011.0736 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Page Range: | pp. 508-516 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Publisher: | Mary Ann Liebert Inc. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Status: | Published | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Keywords: | Astrobiology, Lithopanspermia, Radiation resistance, Survival, Vacuum | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
HGF - Research field: | Aeronautics, Space and Transport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
HGF - Program: | Space | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
HGF - Program Themes: | Space Exploration | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DLR - Research area: | Raumfahrt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DLR - Program: | R EW - Space Exploration | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DLR - Research theme (Project): | R - Exploration of the Solar System | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Location: | Köln-Porz , Berlin-Adlershof | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Institutes and Institutions: | Institute of Planetary Research Institute of Aerospace Medicine Institute of Planetary Research > Experimentelle Planetenphysik Institute of Aerospace Medicine > Radiation Biology | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deposited By: | de Vera, Dr. Jean Pierre Paul | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deposited On: | 11 Dec 2012 14:59 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Modified: | 06 Sep 2019 15:23 |
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