NASA Astronauts Prepared to Scour for Extraterrestrial Life Hanging Out on ISS Exteriors
Space explorers aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are about to delve into uncharted territory—or rather, the uncharted space surrounding the station. During an upcoming spacewalk, astronauts will venture outside to collect microbiological samples from the station's exterior. The sampling will occur near life support system vents, a move that could shed light on potential microbe releases into the cosmos.
According to NASA's recent announcement, this extraterrestrial sample collection forms part of the ISS External Microorganisms experiment—a project focusing on the study of microorganisms outside the spacecraft. The samples will undergo analysis back on Earth to uncover the secrets of these extraterrestrial life-forms.
It turns out, even spacecraft and spacesuits aren't entirely impervious to microbial life. Human microbiomes, filled with vital microorganisms, are unavoidable companions for astronauts venturing into the space void. Though launches rigorously sterilize cargo, food, vehicles, and crew members, human microbiomes remain integral components of the station's overall microbiome.
Microbiologist Sarah Wallace from NASA puts it simply. "We can't sterilize everything we send into space, and we don't want to, but we do our best to minimize potential pathogens." This cosmic microbiome, unlike any Earth-based counterpart, endures harsh environmental conditions such as radiation and microgravity. Some microbes even thrive, adapting, and reproducing under these extreme circumstances.
The resulting mutations in these microbes may seem far-fetched, but they represent another fascinating facet of space exploration. Scientists are intrigued by microorganisms that can withstand extreme conditions, as their attributes might have implications for Earth-based industries and potential colonization of other celestial bodies, such as the Moon or Mars.
As a result, swabbing the ISS interior to track its unique microbiome has become an essential practice for astronauts. The upcoming ISS exterior collection stems from the suspicion that the station might be expelling some of these microbes into space through its ventilation exhaust.
This extraterrestrial microbial census could also bolster the Panspermia hypothesis—the idea that life originated elsewhere in the galaxy before colonizing Earth. To make this theory plausible, it would require the survival and propagation of an ancestral microbe in outer space, like those beyond the ISS, before ultimately reaching Earth.
While Panspermia remains a theory, Earthly extremophiles have shown promising resilience in space experiments. Studies involving algae and tardigrades have revealed surprising adaptability to the vacuum of space, providing grounds for the possibility that life could thrive beyond our planet.
This upcoming sampling expedition is significant not only for understanding microbial behavior beyond Earth but also for assessing human contamination of space. After all, we wouldn't want to discover microbes on Mars and then ponder whether they're truly Martian or simply hitchhikers.
The study of microorganisms outside the spacecraft, as part of the ISS External Microorganisms experiment, leverages advanced space technology and science to explore the future of life in the cosmos. If the Panspermia hypothesis is proven true through this extraterrestrial microbial census, it could revolutionize our understanding of the origins of life on Earth and beyond.
