Engineering concepts for inflatable Mars surface greenhouses.

A major challenge of designing a bioregenerative life support system for Mars is the reduction of the mass, volume, power, thermal and crew-time requirements. Structural mass of the greenhouse could be saved by operating the greenhouse at low atmospheric pressure. This paper investigates the feasibility of this concept. The method of equivalent system mass is used to compare greenhouses operated at high atmospheric pressure to greenhouses operated at low pressure for three different lighting methods: natural, artificial and hybrid lighting.     

Continuous tracking of cmes using MICA, andLASCO C2 and C3 coronagraphs

In this work we have tracked coronal mass ejections observed with the ground based Mirror Coronagraph for Argentina (MICA) and the Large Angle and Spectroscopic Coronagraph (LASCO) C2 and C3 on board of the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). The MICA telescope is located at El Leoncito (31.8 S, 69.3 W), San Juan (Argentina), since 1997 as part of a bilateral scientific project between Germany and Argentina. SOHO is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA. Together these instruments are able to observe the solar corona ranging from 1.05 to 32 solar radii. MICA images the Fe XIV emission line corona and LASCO coronagraphs observe the Thomson scattered white light corona. We have selected events for which there are observations from the three coronagraphs. Using the composite data we were able to obtain height-time diagrams for the corresponding dynamical coronal features traveling outwards in order to determine some of their kinematical properties, i.e., plane of sky velocity and acceleration.     

HZE-dosimetry on MIR92, IML-1 and D-2

Nuclear track detectors were used to measure the integral Linear Energy Transfer (LET) spectra above 1 GeV per cm water behind the complex material shielding inside a spacecraft. The measurements are compared with predictions of the contribution of high charge, high energy HZE particles of the galactic cosmic radiation taking into account the influence of solar and geomagnetic modulation and shielding by matter.     

Modern aspects of planetary protection and requirements to sterilization of space hardware.

The viewpoint of working group of Russian experts on the problem of planetary protection for future manned and unmanned Mars mission is presented. Recent data of Martian environment and on survival of terrestrial microorganisms in extreme conditions were used for detailed analysis and overview of planetary protection measures in regard to all possible flight situations including accidental landing. The special emphasis on "Mars-94" mission was done. This analysis resulted in revised formulation of spacecraft sterilization requirements and possible measures for their best implementation. New general combined approach to spacecraft sterilization was proposed. It includes penetrating radiation and heat treatment of spacecraft parts and components which is to be carried out before the final assembly of spacecraft and gaseous radiation sterilization of the whole spacecraft during the flight to Mars (or from Mars for return missions).     

Embryogenesis and organogenesis of Carausius morosus under spaceflight conditions

The influence of cosmic radiation and/or microgravity on insect development was studied during the 7 day German Spacelab Mission D1. Eggs of Carausius morosus of five stages differing in sensitivity to radiation and in capacity to regeneration were allowed to continue their development in the BIORACK 22°C incubator, either at microgravity conditions or on the 1 g reference centrifuge. Using the Biostack concept - eggs in monolayers were sandwiched between visual track detectors - and the 1 g reference centrifuge, we were able to separate radiation effects from microgravity effects and also from combined effects of these two factors in space. After retrieval, hatching rates, growth kinetics and anomaly frequencies were determined in the different test samples. The early stages of development turned out to be highly sensitive to single hits of cosmic ray particles as well as to the temporary exposure to microgravity during their development. In some cases, the combined action of radiation and microgravity even amplified the effects exerted by the single parameters of space. Hits by single HZE particles caused early effects, such as body anomalies, as well as late effects, such as retarded growth after hatching. Microgravity exposure lead to a reduced hatching rate. A synergistic action of HZE particle hits and microgravity was established in the unexpectedly high frequency of anomal larvae. However, it cannot be excluded, that cosmic background radiation or low LET HZE particles are also causally involved in damage observed in the microgravity samples.     

VEGA three-channel spectrometer experiment: Spectroscopy of comet Halley in the visible and near-ultraviolet ranges

A total of 3600 spectra of Comet Halley in the 275–710 nm were obtained on March, 8, 9, 10 and 11, 1986, from the VEGA 2 spacecraft. The emissions of OH, NH, CN, C₃, CH, C₂, NH₂ and H₂O⁺ are identified. From the OH intensity in the (0,0) band: 1.1 Megarayleigh at 5400 km from the nucleus, it can be inferred that the OH production rate was (1.4 ± 0.5)×10³⁰ molecules s⁻¹. The NH, C₃, CH and NH₂ bands became comparatively more intense at distances from the nucleus shorter than 3000km. At 06:40 U.T. when the instrument field of view was 6000×4500 km, two jets were observed. Spectra from the jets show significant differences with other spectra. Inside a jet NH, C₃ and NH₂ are comparatively more intense and the rotational distributions of OH, CN and C₂ are strongly distorted. This shows that part of the observed emissions probably comes from radicals directly produced in the excited state during the initial process of photolysis of the parent molecules.     

The potential of the lichen symbiosis to cope with the extreme conditions of outer space II: germination capacity of lichen ascospores in response to simulated space conditions.

Complementary to the already well-studied microorganisms, lichens, symbiotic organisms of the mycobiont (fungi) and the photobiont (algae), were used as "model systems" in which to examine the ecological potential to resist to extreme environments of outer space. Ascospores (sexual propagules of the mycobiont) of the lichens Fulgensia bracteata, Xanthoria elegans and Xanthoria parietina were exposed to selected space-simulating conditions (up to 16 h of space vacuum at 10(-3) Pa and UV radiation at 160 nm < or = lambda < or = 400 nm), while embedded in the lichen fruiting bodies. After exposure, the ascospores were discharged and their viability was tested as germination capacity on different culture media including those containing Mars regolith simulant. It was found that (i) the germination rate on media containing Mars regolith simulant was as high as on other mineral-containing media, (ii) if enclosed in the ascocarps, the ascospores survived the vacuum exposure, the UV-irradiation as well as the combined treatment of vacuum and UV to a high degree. In general, 50 % or more viable spores were recovered, with ascospores of X. elegans showing the highest survival. It is suggested that ascospores inside the ascocarps are well protected by the anatomical structure, the gelatinous layer and the pigments (parietin and carotene) against the space parameters tested.     

Changes in vacuolation in the root apex cells of soybean seedlings in microgravity.

Changes in the vacuolation in root apex cells of soybean (Glycine max L. [Merr.]) seedlings grown in microgravity were investigated. Spaceflight and ground control seedlings were grown in the absence or presence of KMnO4 (to remove ethylene) for 6 days. After landing, in order to study of cell ultrastructure and subcellular free calcium ion distribution, seedling root apices were fixed in 2.5% (w/v) glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer and 2% (w/v) glutaraldehyde, 2.5% (w/v) formaldehyde, 2% (w/v) potassium antimonate K[Sb(OH)6] in 0.1 M K2HPO4 buffer with an osmolarity (calculated theoretically) of 0.45 and 1.26 osmol. The concentrations of ethylene in all spaceflight canisters were significantly higher than in the ground control canisters. Seedling growth was reduced in the spaceflight-exposed plants. Additionally, the spaceflight-exposed plants exhibited progressive vacuolation in the root apex cells, particularly in the columella cells, to a greater degree than the ground controls. Plasmolysis was observed in columella cells of spaceflight roots fixed in solutions with relatively high osmolarity (1.26 osmol). The appearance of plasmolysis permitted the evaluation of the water status of cells. The water potential of the spaceflight cells was higher than the surrounding fixative solution. A decrease in osmotic potential and/or an increase in turgor potential may have induced increases in cell water potential. However, the plasmolysed (i.e. non-turgid) cells implied that increases in water potential were accompanied with a decrease in osmotic potential. In such cells changes in vacuolation may have been involved to maintain turgor pressure or may have been a result of intensification of other vacuolar functions like digestion and storage.     

Thymine photoproduct formation and inactivation of intact spores of Bacillus subtilis irradiated with short wavelength UV (200-300nm) at atmospheric pressure and in vacuo.

Vacuum exposure renders the survival of spores of Bacillus subtilis approximately five times more sensitive to ultraviolet light irradiation than exposure under atmospheric conditions. The photoproduct formation in spores irradiated under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions is compared to the photoproduct formation in spores irradiated at atmospheric pressure. Compared to irradiation at atmospheric pressure, where only the "spore photoproduct" 5-thyminyl-5,6-dihydrothymine (TDHT) can be detected, two additional photoproducts, known as the c,s and t,s isomers of thymine dimer (T<>T) are produced in vacuo. The spectral efficiencies for photoproduct formation in spores under atmospheric and vacuum conditions are compared. Since there is no increased formation of TDHT after irradiation in vacuum, TDHT cannot be made responsible for the observed vacuum effect. "Vacuum specific" photoproducts may cause a synergistic response of spores to the simultaneous action of ultraviolet light (UV) and UHV. Three different mechanisms are discussed for the enhanced sensitivity of B. subtilis spores to UV radiation in vacuum. The experiments described contribute valuable research information on the chance for survival of microorganisms in outer space.     

Chemistry of the interstellar medium--an evolutionary dead end?

An analysis of the experimental data available and of the present theoretical concepts shows that even the initial physicochemical chemical precellular stages of biological evolution are impossible in the interstellar medium, while biomonomers possibly formed on asteroids and comets might have participated after transportation to the Earth in the final stages of the origin of the first precellular biological structures and then in the first living cells.