Balloon Archives - Astrobiology

General Condition of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Samples After Landing. This supplement presents visual documentation of each Chlamydomonas reinhardtii sample following landing. The images capture the overall condition, including pigmentation, density, and potential signs of stress, providing a comparative overview of sample responses after exposure and transport. - Scientific Reports

Space Life Science

Assessing The Susceptibility Of Microalgae To Space Conditions Using Stratospheric Balloons

by Keith CowingJuly 31, 2026July 31, 2026

[Scientific Reports via Xmol] Biological exposure experiments under near-space conditions remain limited by the high cost and low accessibility of spaceflight platforms, motivating low-cost analog approaches for initial screening.

Cyanobacterial crusts in the stratosphere during light exposure -- Microorganisms via PubMed

Analog Studies, Cryobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Microbiology & Virology, Missions & Hardware, Panspermia, Press Release, Radiation, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return, Tricorders & Sensors

Responses of Cyanobacterial Crusts and Microbial Communities to Extreme Environments of the Stratosphere

by Keith CowingMay 1, 2026May 1, 2026

How microbial communities respond to extreme conditions in the stratosphere remains unclear.

(A) A large NASA balloon at float in the stratosphere carrying a scientific payload, as viewed from a chase aircraft; (B) The Exposing Microorganisms in the Stratosphere (E-MIST) payload, flown most recently in October 2015 (Khodadad et al., 2017, in press), was an exposure-class experiment that transported Bacillus pumilus SAFR-032 bacterial endospores (aliquots visible as small dots on metal coupons) to ~32 km ASL where conditions mimic Mars. -- Gravit Space Res. via PubMed

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Away Teams & Field Reports, Exploration Gear & Tech, Missions & Hardware, Status Report

Astrobiology Aloft: Ballooning for Biologists: Mission Essentials for Flying Life Science Experiments to Near Space on NASA Large Scientific Balloons

by Keith CowingSeptember 3, 2024September 2, 2024

Despite centuries of scientific balloon flights, only a handful of experiments have produced biologically-relevant results. Yet unlike orbital spaceflight, it is much faster and cheaper to conduct biology research with […]

Global electric field on Earth -- NASA

Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,, Press Release, Space Weather & Heliophysics

Discovery Of A Long-sought Global Electric Field On Earth

by Keith CowingAugust 29, 2024August 28, 2024

Using observations from a NASA suborbital rocket, an international team of scientists has, for the first time, successfully measured a planet-wide electric field thought to be as fundamental to Earth […]

This illustration shows a high-altitude balloon ascending into the upper atmosphere. When fully inflated, these balloons are 400 feet (150 meters) wide, or about the size of a football stadium, and reach an altitude of 130,000 feet (24.6 miles or 40 kilometers). Credits: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab/Michael Lentz

Astrobiology (general), Citizen Science / Open Science, Courses, Missions & Hardware, Societal Issues, Status Report

Transdisciplinary Contributions In Undergraduate University Students Through A Stratospheric Balloon Project With An Astrobiological Focus

by Keith CowingFebruary 26, 2024February 25, 2024

In a rapidly changing academic-scientific context, it is essential to adapt new learning strategies that foster the acquisition of new knowledge and the development of skills in future professionals, such […]

Venus Life Finder

Press Release, Venus

Venus Life Finder Missions Motivation and Summary

by Keith CowingAugust 15, 2022August 14, 2022

Finding evidence of extraterrestrial life would be one of the most profound scientific discoveries ever made, advancing humanity into a new epoch of cosmic awareness. The Venus Life Finder (VLF) […]