Mojave Mars Simulant 2 Archives

Coupon arrangements within the Planetary Atmosphere Chamber (PAC) during low-Mars-orbit (LMO) simulations. (A) The coupons for Exp-1 and Exp-2 were held inside sterile polystyrene petri dishes and placed in the central part of the UV beam within the PAC. (B) To enhance thermal cooling of coupons in Exp-3, coupons were placed directly on the upper surface of the stainless-steel liquid nitrogen (LN2) control plate. Exp-3 compared survival rates for two species on UV-exposed aluminum coupons and doped coupons covered by the Mojave Mars Simulant (MMS) filters (see text). The coupon temperatures were estimated by comparing four thermocouples (TC) placed left-to-right within the UV beam. -- Microorganisms via PubMed

Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Microbiology & Virology, Missions & Hardware, Panspermia, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Status Report

Biocidal Conditions in Low-Mars-Orbit Can Inactivate Bioburden on External Mars Spacecraft Surfaces and Dust Particles Within a Few Sols

by Keith CowingJune 8, 2026June 8, 2026

Mars Sample Return Program planning includes a series of spacecraft staged both on the Martian surface and in low-Mars-orbit (LMO).

Experimental set-up of the MMS-2 incubation. (a) One side of a two compartment Petri dish was filled with 1 g of heat-treated MMS-2; the other side contained 10 mL of Milli-Q water or a saturated salt solution. (b) Plates were sealed with Parafilm and placed in a sterile bag before incubation at 30 °C in a forced convection oven at ambient pressure. For each condition and sampling day, three replicate plates were opened once and then discarded after DNA extraction. -- Scientific Reports via PubMed

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Desert Worlds, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Status Report

Growth Of Microorganisms In A Martian Regolith Simulant At Reduced Water Activity

by Keith CowingMarch 10, 2026March 10, 2026

Water activity (aw) quantifies the free water available for microbial growth. At the cellular level, liquid water is paramount for replication and proliferation. Research on Earth-like life suggests that microbial […]

Mojave Mars Simulant 2

Biocidal Conditions in Low-Mars-Orbit Can Inactivate Bioburden on External Mars Spacecraft Surfaces and Dust Particles Within a Few Sols

Growth Of Microorganisms In A Martian Regolith Simulant At Reduced Water Activity

Perseverance Astrobiology Droid Has Completed A Martian Marathon

Machine Learning And Deep Learning For Exoplanet Detection And Atmospheric Characterization With JWST And The Upcoming Ariel Mission

Bioleaching Of Critical Trace Metals By Sphingomonas Desiccabilis: Substrate-driven Selectivity In Earth And Space Analogues

TESS Reveals The Puffiest Exoplanets Ever Found

An Agnostic Machine Learning Model of Photosynthetic Habitability