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. 2019 Sep;19(9):1177-1185.
doi: 10.1089/ast.2018.1904. Epub 2019 Aug 9.

Phobos LIFE (Living Interplanetary Flight Experiment)

Bruce H Betts  1 , David Warmflash  1 , Raymond E Fraze  2   3 , Louis Friedman  1 , Elena Vorobyova  4   5 , Timothy G Lilburn  6 , Amy Smith  7 , Petra Rettberg  8 , K Ingemar Jönsson  9 , Neva Ciftcioglu  10 , George E Fox  11 , Tomas Svitek  2 , Joseph L Kirschvinck  12   13 , Ralf Moeller  8 , Marko Wassmann  14 , Thomas Berger  8
Affiliations

Phobos LIFE (Living Interplanetary Flight Experiment)

Bruce H Betts et al. Astrobiology. 2019 Sep.

Abstract

The Planetary Society's Phobos Living Interplanetary Flight Experiment (Phobos LIFE) flew in the sample return capsule of the Russian Federal Space Agency's Phobos Grunt mission and was to have been a test of one aspect of the hypothesis that life can move between nearby planets within ejected rocks. Although the Phobos Grunt mission failed, we present here the scientific and engineering design and motivation of the Phobos LIFE experiment to assist with the scientific and engineering design of similar future experiments. Phobos LIFE flew selected organisms in a simulated meteoroid. The 34-month voyage would have been the first such test to occur in the high-radiation environment outside the protection of Earth's magnetosphere for more than a few days. The patented Phobos LIFE "biomodule" is an 88 g cylinder consisting of a titanium outer shell, several types of redundant seals, and 31 individual Delrin sample containers. Phobos LIFE contained 10 different organisms, representing all three domains of life, and one soil sample. The organisms are all very well characterized, most with sequenced genomes. Most are extremophiles, and most have flown in low Earth orbit. Upon return from space, the health and characteristics of organisms were to have been compared with controls that remained on Earth and have not yet been opened.

Keywords: Lithopanspermia.; Panspermia; Phobos LIFE; Spaceflight experiments; Transpermia.

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Conflict of interest statement

No competing financial interests exist.

Figures

<b>FIG. 1.</b>
FIG. 1.
Sealed Phobos LIFE biomodule. Hand for scale.
<b>FIG. 2.</b>
FIG. 2.
Exploded view of Phobos LIFE biomodule showing components.
<b>FIG. 3.</b>
FIG. 3.
Heat sealing a sample tube inside argon-filled glove box.
<b>FIG. 4.</b>
FIG. 4.
Lower half of Delrin carrier (center) loaded with labeled sample tubes and central soil container. Note silicone O-ring. Also, top of carrier (left), titanium lid (top), and titanium bottom (right).
<b>FIG. 5.</b>
FIG. 5.
Biomodule during assembly. Left to right: Titanium bottom with two temperature sensors, shock pad, bottom of loaded carrier including TLD radiation detectors (small white squares under Kapton tape), shock pad, and titanium lid.
<b>FIG. 6.</b>
FIG. 6.
Loading freeze-dried organisms into Phobos LIFE sample tube.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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