Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #32492: Astrobiology in Action: Japan’s Third Space Exposure Test on the ISS

Following the success of earlier missions, ExHAM: Astrobiology Japan 3 continued the quest to understand life's survival in outer space. Spearheaded by Dr. Hajime Mita from Fukuoka Institute of Technology, this JAXA-led study once again used the ISS to simulate interplanetary conditions.

Installed during Expedition 64, the experiment used the ExHAM platform to expose biological and chemical samples to the vacuum of space. These included microbial life forms, DNA, organic compounds, and novel materials. The purpose was to study how these samples change or degrade after months of cosmic radiation, temperature swings, and micrometeoroid exposure.

Why is this important? When planning missions to Mars or icy moons like Europa, scientists must consider both the contamination of alien worlds and the preservation of Earth-based organisms. ExHAM-3 provides data on both fronts. It shows how long life can survive unshielded in space and whether biosignatures (chemical traces of life) remain detectable after extended exposure.

The findings also help in designing future instruments for life detection on other planets. If molecules degrade too quickly, instruments might miss them. Conversely, if they persist, we have a better chance of finding past or present extraterrestrial life.

This experiment also tested new polymers and coatings for space applications, aiming to extend the lifespan of spacecraft surfaces and instruments. It’s a fusion of cutting-edge astrobiology and materials science.

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