Introduction to the EXPOSE-E Mission

Abstract

EXPOSE-E has been the first of three long-duration space missions provided by the European Space Agency (ESA) within the European Program of Life and Physical Science in Space (ELIPS) for long-term astrobiology studies on board the International Space Station. As part of the European Technology Exposure Facility, EXPOSE-E was launched together with ESA’s Columbus laboratory and mounted in open space onto the external balcony of the Columbus laboratory from 15 February 2008 until 2 September 2009. It accommodated a variety of chemical and biological test systems from five different experiments.