the expose-r2 mission: astrobiology and astrochemistry in...

The Expose-R2 mission: Astrobiology and astrochemistry in low Earth orbitBiotechnology Summer School

René DemetsProject Scientist Astrobiology ESA-ESTEC (HSO-USB)Tuesday 26 August 2014Ba014

EXPOSE-R2: Astrobiology and astrochemistry in low Earth orbit

1. The experiments2. How it works3. Operations

6 August 2014

EXPOSE-R2: The experiments

Scientific goalsResearch about the effects of open space conditions on biological and biochemical test samples

Why? Biology: to explore the tolerance of terrestrial life to open space and to Martian conditionsBiochemistry: to investigate photochemical effects caused by full-spectrum solar light

2


Why in space, not on ground?

Exposure in open space in low Earth orbit offers:- Full spectrum solar UV (cannot accurately be mimicked on ground)- Vacuum- Ionizing radiation (can only partly be recreated on ground) - Temperature swings- Weightlessness (can only briefly be provided on ground)

This complete menu cannot be reproduced on ground.


BOSS Biofilm Organisms Surfing Space Dr. Petra RettbergBIOMEX Biology and Mars Experiment Dr. Jean-Pierre de VeraPSS Photochemistry on the Space Station Prof. Hervé CottinIBMP Exposure of small organisms to solar UV Dr. Vladimir Sychev

Expose-R2: four experimentsproposals were submitted to ESA in 2009

Multi-user EXPOSE was designed to host several experiments at the same time.


BOSS 8BIOMEX 30PSS 28IBMP 8total 74

67 scientists

7 investigators are active in two experiments

Germany 20 ESAFrance 18 ESARussia 7Italy 7 ESAUSA 6Netherlands 2 ESAUnited Kingdom 2 ESAAustria 1 ESADenmark 1 ESAJapan 1Spain 1 ESAUkraine 1 total 67

international cooperation


BacteriaDeinococcus geothermalisBacillus horneckiaeHalomonas muralis

CyanobacteriaGloeocapsaChroococcidiopsis sp.

ArchaeaHalococcus morrhue

List of test samples - BOSS

EXPOSE-R2: The experimentsList of test samples - BIOMEXBacteria/biofilmsDeinococcus radioduransLeptothrix, Hyphomonas, Tetrasphaera, Pedomicrobium, Pseudomonas sp.

CyanobacteriaNostoc sp. Gloeocapsa Chroococcidiopsis sp.

ArchaeaMethanosarcina soligelidi

Green algaeSphaerocystis sp.

LichensBuelia frigidaCircinaria gyrosa

FungiCryomyces antarcticus

BryophytesMarchantia polymorpha (liverwort)Grimmia sessitana (moss)

KombuchaBacteriaGluconacetobacter xylinusGloconobacter oxydansBacillus subtilisYeastZygosaccharomyces bailliiDekkera bruxellensis

Pigmentschlorophyll aß-Caroteneparietinnaringeninchitinquercitin


Organic moleculesGlycineThymine AlanineCyclo (Ala-Ala)Ala-AlaAdenineUracilChryseneCometary synthetic organic residuesTitan atmospheric organic residues (Tholins)

MineralsHOPG (graphite)Montmorillonite (clay)Nontronite (clay)

Biochips

List of test samples - PSS


BacteriaBacillus licheniformisBacillus pumilus

FungiAspergillus versicolorAspergillus sydowiiPenicillium expansumUlocladium botrytis

PlantsBrassica rapa seeds (cabbage)Mizuna seeds (Japanese lettuce)Zingera biebersteiniana seedsHordeum vulgare seeds (barley)Brachypodium distachyon seeds (grass)

Arthropods Triops eggs (crab)Polypedium vanderplanki larvae (midge)

List of test samples - IBMP

EXPOSE-R2: The experimentsEvolution of Life

timecomplexity

Start: oldest fossils approx. 3.5 billion years old

EXPOSE-R2: The experimentsHistory of Life

Terrestrial life is a mixture of simple, ancient organisms and advanced, modern organisms

EXPOSE-R2: The experimentsSystematics

microbes macroscopic and multi-cellular

EXPOSE-R2: The experimentsBiological species

17 species

2species

3species

7species

9species

2species

Representatives from all groups present on Expose-R2

EXPOSE-R2: The experimentsBiological species

17 species

2species

3species

7species

9species

2species

Representatives from all groups present on Expose-R2

seeds

eggs of the crab

seeds

larvae of the midge

EXPOSE-R2: The experimentsBiological species on Expose-R2

17 species

2species

3species

7species

9species

2species

In all groups survivors have been found during previous exposure experiments in space, a discovery that will be further

explored on Expose-R2.

EXPOSE-R2: The experimentsAstrochemistry on Expose-R2


SOLAR UV

lamp flux~5.1014 ph.cm-2.s-1

100 120 140 160 180 200

0

10

20

30

40

Irrad

ianc

e (m

W/m²/n

m)

Wavelength (nm)

solar flux (near maximum)between 120-200 nm~1,5.1013 ph.cm-2.s-1

lyman 122 nm

Saiagh et al. Planetary and Space Science2014

UV 100nm – 200nm

VUV in low Earth orbit(above the atmosphere)

VUV on ground (in the lab)


• Space is full of organic molecules• Expose-R2 is expected to contribute to the understanding of the

chemical evolution in space.

EXPOSE-R2: How it works

• Three trays, each with four sample compartments• UV-transparent windows on top of each compartment• The trays are installed together in one box, called monoblok• The monoblok is mounted at the outer surface of the ISS.

• Each tray contains a duplicate set of samples. One is exposed to the Sun, the other remains in darkness for reference.

Tray 1

Tray 2

Tray 3

monoblok


Space exposure or Mars exposure at the investigator’s option:• Space : vacuum and MgF2 windows (full UV-C)• Mars : simulated Martian air and quarz windows (partial UV-C)

EXPOSE-R2: 2 space trays, 1 Mars tray


BIOMEX BOSS IBMP PSStemperature 3 thermal sensors Tray 1

3 thermal sensors Tray 23 thermal sensors Tray 31 thermal sensor R3D-R2

(near-) vacuum (MEDET on EuTEF)solar light 4 UV-B sensors Expose facility

1 radiometer Expose facility UV-A, UV-B, UV-C & PAR sensors R3D-R2

Fluence per sample by calculation and modellingLyman alpha by calculation and modelling

ionizing radiation TLDs (top layer)TLDs (bottom layer)

Particle track detectors Liulin R3D-R2

TLDs in sample cells

microgravity not applicable(dormant organisms and organic molecules)

Environmental monitoring on Expose-R2

EXPOSE-R2: Operations

Trays loaded with test samples - 12 June 2014


Trays protected by covers with plastic windows during transport to launch site and upload


Each tray is packed in a soft pouch


The three trays in their pouches

23 July 2014L-12 hourslate accessBaikonur


The trays in their pouches are packed in three blue IKEA bags…


… and placed into the Progress M24-M cargo ship.



The trays are placed in a cooled compartment (10-15 0C) in the Progress cargo ship.




HOW?

Missile Fizzle 1961Carl BarksWDC #244

fruit flies!




HOW?see Donald Duck in ‘Missile Fizzle’ (1961)


Launch: 1 month ago23 July 2014 23:44 ESTEC time = 24 July 2014 03:44 Baikonur time

- -

EXPOSE-R2: astrobiology and astrochemistry in low Earth orbitThe Crew – Increment 40 (upload and 1st EVA)

Alexander Gerst (ESA)

Aleksandr Skvortsov (Russia)

Maksim Suraev (Russia)

Oleg Artemyev (Russia)

Reid Wiseman (USA)

Steven Swanson (USA)

The ISS the crew currently consists of

- Commander Steven Swanson (NASA)- Flight Engineer Aleksandr Skvortsov (Roskosmos)- Flight Engineer Oleg Artemyev (Roskosmos)

- Commander (to be) Maksim Suraev (Roskosmos)- Flight Engineer Gregory Reid Wiseman (NASA)- Flight Engineer Alexander Gerst (ESA)


On board of the ISS the crew puts the three trays into the monoblok.The monoblok is already on board.

monoblok

Tray 3 in soft bag

Tray 2 in soft bag

Tray 3 in (open) soft bag

manualmanual


This picture is from forerunner Expose-R (2009-2011)

manual

Tray 1 in soft bag


Tray 2 in soft bag

manual


Tray 3 in soft bag

manual

pen


Three trays fitted into the monoblok, trays still protected protected by covers


The three trays in the monoblok, now with covers removed

sunshield

soft bags (empty)

Oleg Artemyev

6 August 2014


Expose-R2 complete, with sunshield on top

= in the direction of the transfer compartment

Zashchitnaya kryshka = protection cover


Expose-R2 complete with cables for power, commands and data

EXPOSE-R2: OperationsThe installation at the outer surface of the Zvezda module was done by Aleksandr Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev on 18 August 2014 (last week). Live on NASA television.

Oleg Artemyev and Aleksandr Skortsov prepare for the EVA.



Artemyev (blue stripes) Skvortsov (red stripes)



helmet camerahelmet camera


helmet camera


Pictures made with helmet camera during the spacewalk


screen shots from NASA television



Kosmonaut Oleg Artemyev (blue stripes)

PIRS module(exit and entry during EVA)

Zvezda module

Expose-R2

Solar panel

NASA logo



1



2



3



4



5



6



7

EXPOSE-R2: OperationsEvacuation of the two ‘space trays’ happened on 20 August by telecommand (last week).The ‘Mars tray’ is filled with simulated Martian air and remains closed all the time.


Sun shield

Next to come:

The Sun shield stays on top and will be removed later during another EVA.

During this interval all volatile materials are expected to be released from the two space trays.

This procedure is meant to prevent photoprocessing of volatile compounds at the inner surface of the windows of the space trays.

EXPOSE-R2: OperationsRemoval of the sun shield scheduled for 18 October 2014.Live on NASA television.

These pictures are from forerunner Expose-R (2009-2011)



close-up


In space:

- Full spectrum solar UV (cannot accurately be mimicked on ground)- Vacuum- Ionizing radiation (can only partly be recreated on ground) - Temperature swings- Weightlessness (can only briefly be provided on ground)

On ground: reference experiment

- solar UV >200 nm- Vacuum- Ionizing radiation (can only partly be recreated on ground) - Temperature swings- Weightlessness (can only briefly be provided on ground)


During flight, environmental data are needed to support the near-synchronous reference experiment on ground (MGR=Mission Ground Reference)

No science data available during the flight.


Download after 12–18 months of solar exposureThe trays, with metal covers, will be stowed underneath the seats of the Soyuz capsule.Possibly two separate downloads. Tray 3 comes first, Tray 1 and 2 come later.

EXPOSE-R2: astrobiology and astrochemistry in low Earth orbit

Brief history

Expose-E in space during 2008-2010 The results were published together in a special issue of Astrobiology Vol. 12 Nr. 5, 2012 (14 publications)

Expose-R in space during 2009-2011The results will be published together in a special issue of the International Journal of Astrobiology(14 publications)

Expose-R2 now


Astrobiology Vol. 12 nr. 5 May 2012

EXPOSE-Ehttp://eea.spaceflight.esa.int/?pg=expl&ms=516

EXPOSE-Rhttp://eea.spaceflight.esa.int/?pg=expl&ms=526

Erasmus Experiment Archive


Prospects

• A new set of trays could be prepared for a new mission after Expose-R2.• Constraint: sensor data, but no science data are acquired between launch and landing.• All Expose results are based on comparisons between preflight and postflight.• Not known how space-induced biological and biochemical changes develop over time.• Real-time monitoring in space is under study – but not necessarily in conjunction with Expose.


Industry team

Aleksandr Melnikov(Energia)

Mario Schweitzer(K-T)

Luciana Montrone(ESA)

Esther Jaramillo (RUAG)

Ferdinand Molter (K-T)

Vladimir Mitin(Roscosmos)

Joseph Winter(ESA)

Elena Pelo(Energia)

DmitrySibertsev(Energia)

Aleksandr Yermak(Energia)

KseniaZharkova (Energia)

Ignasi Forcada(K-T)

prime contractor: Kayser-Threde GmbH, Munich (DE)subcontractor: RUAG Space, Zürich (CH)

ESA & Roskosmos subcontractor: RSC Energia, Moscow (RU)

ESA


Thank you all for your attention

EXPOSE – a piece of cake

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