ISS - Expedition 40 Mission patch.
07/08/2014
August 18 is scheduled the second spacewalk Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev in the program of the expedition, 40/41 of the Russian segment of the ISS. At the time of the Russian Space Agency astronauts will install on the external surface of the service module Zvezda scientific equipment «EXPOSE-R2».
Part of a joint Russian-European project «EXPOSE-R2» Russian experiment is "Biodiversity".
The purpose of this experiment - evaluation of prolonged exposure (from 1 to 1.5 years) of the space environment on the survival of evolutionarily separated dormant forms of living creatures (bacteria, fungi, plants and animals).
Image above: Specialists RSC "Energia" and IBMP RAS during acceptance testing cassettes intended for delivery on board the ISS RS.
The results that will be obtained in this experiment, can make a significant contribution to the fundamental knowledge about the limits of viability of biological systems at various levels of the organization and, consequently, the possible extension of biological life forms in the universe, and will be of practical value to justify the requirements and development activities of the planetary quarantine in the implementation of interplanetary spaceflight.
In the experiment, "Biodiversity" in the equipment «EXPOSE-R2» contains the following biological objects:
· Bacteria - 4 species (52 samples).
· Mushrooms - 8 species (100 samples).
· Seeds - 6 species (64 samples).
· Mosquito larvae Polypedilum vanderplanki - 1 form (4 samples).
· Crustacean Triops cancriformis 1 view (4 samples).
Equipment «EXPOSE-R2» consists of a metal housing with universal three cartridges.
July 24, 2014 aboard the Russian segment of the International Space Station cargo spacecraft "Progress M-24M" were delivered 3 cassettes with biological samples. Later on the tape will be placed in the unit «EXPOSE», which was kept on board the ISS after the 2011 experiment «EXPOSE-R1» .
Image above: Part of the Russian biological samples placed in the cassette equipment «EXPOSE-R2».
In two cassettes are placed four assembly with biological samples, in the third - three assembly. Assemblies have a different design depending on the goals and objectives of the individual experiments. Biological samples in assemblies located on several levels (from 2 to 3). Biological samples which are arranged in the upper part of the apparatus is exposed under the action of ultraviolet radiation, other, which are disposed on the lower tiers in the dark. All assemblies in each cassette interconnected air channel designed to remove air. Tightness of the air passage is ensured by a special valve, which is opened after the removal of the equipment on the outer surface of the Russian segment of the ISS.
Image above: Cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev conducts scientific equipment installation «EXPOSE-R2».
In the experiment «EXPOSE-R1», held on the outside of the Russian segment of the ISS for 22 months, was first established by the selective effect of the hard outer ultraviolet radiation (with a wavelength of 200 nm) on the resting forms of various biological objects. Exhibited in the space spores of microorganisms, seeds of higher plants, dry embryos of crustaceans, surviving in the absence of UV light, died under its influence, but the spores of microscopic fungi (Aspergillus sydowii, Aspergillus versicolor) and mosquito larvae (Polypedilum vanderplankii) partially retained their viability in these conditions.
ROSCOMOS Press Release: http://www.federalspace.ru/20827/
For more information about the International Space Station (ISS), visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html
Images, text, Credits: The press service of the Russian Space Agency and the Institute of Biomedical Problems of RAS / ROSCOSMOS / Translation: Orbiter.ch Aerospace.
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