[physics.pop-ph] Exploration of planetary bodies within our solar system will be essential for understanding the origin of life on Earth and the distribution of life in the universe.
Planetary Protection & Biosafety
Posted inSample Return
Closed-loop In Situ Isolation Of Deep-sea Extremophiles Through Sensor-driven Microenvironment Preservation
[Nature Sensors] Deep sea microorganisms remain largely inaccessible because existing sampling and cultivation methods fail to preserve native high-pressure microenvironments from seafloor to laboratory.
![KDE-based mass probability map for the latest solution (0.8 h before impact) of 2023 CX1, corresponding to the smallest positional uncertainty. Colors represent the spatial mass probability density, contours denote the highest posterior density regions, and crosses mark recovered meteorites (size and color proportional to mass). -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Sample-Return-Tech.png?resize=1200%2C716&ssl=1)
Posted inMeteorites & Asteroids
Sample Return Tech: Pre-impact Meteorite Strewn Field Predictions For Imminent Impactors And Meteorite Recovery
[astro-ph.EP] The flux of meteoroids reaching the Earth is continuous, ranging from microscopic grains to occasional metre and decametre scale bodies. The smallest ones fully ablate in the upper atmosphere, […]
Posted inPlanetary Protection & Biosafety
Functional Profiling Of Spacecraft Cleanroom Microbiomes Through Genome‑wide Phenotype Predictions
[biorxiv.org] Current planetary protection approaches rely heavily on spore-based tests developed for Mars missions and may not adequately assess contamination risks for icy ocean worlds such as Europa.
Posted inMoon
Potential Survivable Niches For Microbial Life On The Lunar South Pole
[astro-ph.EP]. Most lunar surface conditions are incredibly harsh for microbial survival. High ultraviolet radiation, temperatures, and energetic particle radiation limit survival over most unprotected lunar surfaces, particularly in equatorial regions […]
Posted inPlanetary Protection & Biosafety
Predicting Fungal Contaminants for Space Missions Using Proteome-Wide Screening for Protein Orthologs
[biorxiv.org]. Fungal contamination poses a growing threat to spacecraft integrity, crew health, and planetary protection efforts.
Posted inPlanetary Protection & Biosafety
NASA Establishes Mars Forward Operational Risk and Contamination Evaluation (M-FORCE) Tiger Team to Shape Mars Planetary Protection Protocols
[NASA OSMA]. NASA’s Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA), in partnership with the Science Mission Directorate (SMD), is seeking applicants for a newly established external Tiger Team named Mars Forward […]
Posted inPlanetary Protection & Biosafety
Human-Related Microbes May Survive At The Moon’s South Pole
[NASA] Some of Earth’s microbes likely to hitch a ride to space with human explorers could survive in the shaded nooks and crannies of the Moon’s South Pole region, NASA […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology
Assessing Cell Survival And Biosignature Preservation Of The Extremely Thermoacidophilic Archaeon Acidianus Manzaensis After Exposure To Mars-like Conditions
[FEMS Microbes via PubMed] Considering the harsh surface conditions on Mars, terrestrial organisms that can survive and remain detectable after exposure to similar conditions provide invaluable models for guiding current […]
Posted inMars
Preparing ExoMars For Rosalind Franklin Astrobiology Rover Delivery
[ESA] The footage shows the simultaneous deployment of two landing legs from the ExoMars landing platform, in two sequential pairs.