Highlights Biochips present great potentialities for the search for biomarkers in the Solar System. As part of the EXPOSE-R2 mission, biological receptors of a biochip will be exposed outside the ISS. The biochip model, the samples preparation and the technical developments are presented in details.

    Abstract Biochips might be suited for planetary exploration. Indeed, they present great potential for the search for biomarkers – molecules that are the sign of past or present life in space – thanks to their size (miniaturized devices) and sensitivity. Their detection principle is based on the recognition of a target molecule by affinity receptors fixed on a solid surface. Consequently, one of the main concerns when developing such a system is the behavior of the biological receptors in a space environment. In this paper, we describe the preparation of an experiment planned to be part of the EXPOSE-R2 mission, which will be conducted on the EXPOSE-R facility, outside the International Space Station (ISS), in order to study the resistance of biochip models to space constraints (especially cosmic radiation and thermal cycling). This experiment overcomes the limits of ground tests which do not reproduce exactly the space parameters. Indeed, contrary to ground experiments where constraints are applied individually and in a limited time, the biochip models on the ISS will be exposed to cumulated constraints during several months. Finally, this ISS experiment is a necessary step towards planetary exploration as it will help assessing whether a biochip can be used for future exploration missions.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Preparation of the Biochip experiment on the EXPOSE-R2 mission outside the International Space Station


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Advances in Space Research ; 52 , 12 ; 2168-2179


    Publication date :

    2013-09-23


    Size :

    12 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English





    Biological Experiments on the EXPOSE Facility of the International Space Station

    Horneck, G. et al / European Space Agency | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1999


    MISSION BEYOND: THE NUTRISS EXPERIMENT ON BOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

    Biolo, Gianni / Girolamo, Filippo Giorgio Di / Fiotti, Nicola et al. | TIBKAT | 2020


    Outside buildings at Masealama mission station, GaMamabolo.

    Annekie Joubert | DataCite | 2014

    Free access