On board of the NASA Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF), spores of Bacillus subtilis in monolayers (10(exp 6)/sample) or multilayers (10(exp 8)/sample) were exposed to the space environment for nearly six years and their survival was analyzed after retrieval. The response to space parameters, such as vacuum (10(exp -6) Pa), solar electromagnetic radiation up to the highly energetic vacuum-ultraviolet range 10(exp 9) J/sq m) and/or cosmic radiation (4.8 Gy), was studied and compared to the results of a simultaneously running ground control experiment. If shielded against solar ultraviolet (UV)-radiation, up to 80% of spores in multilayers survive in space. Solar UV-radiation, being the most deleterious parameter of space, reduces survival by 4 orders of magnitude or more. However, up to 10(exp 4) viable spores were still recovered, even in completely unprotected samples. Substances, such as glucose or buffer salts serve as chemical protectants. With this 6 year study in space, experimental data are provided to the discussion on the likelihood of 'Panspermia'.


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    Titel :

    Long-term survival of bacterial spores in space


    Beteiligte:
    Horneck, G. (Autor:in) / Bucker, H. (Autor:in) / Reitz, G. (Autor:in)


    Erscheinungsdatum :

    1994-10-01



    Medientyp :

    Sonstige


    Format :

    Keine Angabe


    Sprache :

    Englisch




    Long-term survival of bacterial spores in space

    Horneck, G. / Bücker, H. / Reitz, G. | Elsevier | 1994


    Long-Term Survival of Bacterial Spores in Space

    Horneck, G. | Online Contents | 1994


    Long-Term Exposure of Bacterial Spores to Space

    G. Horneck / H. Buecker / G. Reitz | NTIS | 1992


    Long-term exposure of bacterial spores to space

    Horneck, G. / Buecker, H. / Reitz, G. | NTRS | 1992