The space environment is regularly used for experiments addressing astrobiology research goals. The specific conditions prevailing in Earth orbit and beyond, notably the radiative environment (photons and energetic particles) and the possibility to conduct long-duration measurements, have been the main motivations for developing experimental concepts to expose chemical or biological samples to outer space, or to use the reentry of a spacecraft on Earth to simulate the fall of a meteorite. This paper is an overview of past and current research in astrobiology conducted in Earth orbit and beyond, with a special focus on ESA (European Space Agency) missions such as Biopan, STONE (on Russian FOTON capsules) and EXPOSE facilities (outside the International Space Station). The future of such exposure platforms is discussed, notably how they can be improved for better science return, and how to incorporate the use of small satellites such as those built in cubesat format.
Space as a Tool for Astrobiology: Review and Recommendations for Experimentations in Earth Orbit and Beyond
2016
110 pages
Report
No indication
English
Extraterrestrial Exploration , Aerospace environments , Exobiology , Experimentation , Earth orbits , Deep space , Extraterrestrial radiation , Organic chemistry , Space missions , Photons , Extraterrestrial life , Extraterrestrial water , Energetic particles , Meteorites , European space agency , International space station , Nasa space programs , Organisms , Meteoritic composition , Cosmochemistry
O/OREOS Mission - Astrobiology in Low Earth Orbit
NTIS | 2014
|The O/OREOS Mission - Astrobiology in Low Earth Orbit
NTRS | 2014
|The O/OREOS mission—Astrobiology in low Earth orbit
Elsevier | 2012
|The O/OREOS Mission - Astrobiology in Low Earth Orbit
NTRS | 2011
|The O/OREOS mission—Astrobiology in low Earth orbit
Online Contents | 2014
|