Are there living bacteria on the outside of the ISS?

Living Bacteria “From Outer Space” Have Been Found on The Outside of The ISS. Scientists on board the International Space Station (ISS) have discovered living bacteria clinging to the orbital facility’s external surface, according to a prominent Russian cosmonaut.

Does spaceflight affect the behavior of bacteria?

Recent findings provide important evidence of spaceflight’s effect on the behavior of bacterial communities, and represent a key step toward understanding and mitigating the risk these bacteria may pose to astronauts during long-term space missions.

How long can bacteria survive in space?

Now, new findings published today in Frontiers in Microbiology, based on that experiment on the International Space Station, show that the bacteria Deinococcus radiodurans can survive at least three years in space.

Why can’t we bring microbes to other planets?

Many countries have signed the Outer Space Treaty, which forbids them from bringing (and spilling) microbes on other planets. If a spacecraft were to accidentally spill microbes on Mars, for example, then that would corrupt future missions to find life on the planet.

What has been found on the International Space Station?

Scientists on board the International Space Station (ISS) have discovered living bacteria clinging to the orbital facility’s external surface, according to a prominent Russian cosmonaut. Anton Shkaplerov, who will return to the ISS next month,…

What does NASA say about Shkaplerov’s space bacteria?

The sea-plankton claim, and that of Shkaplerov, are based on Russian research, so NASA doesn’t have much to say about them. Indeed, a NASA spokesman referred questions about Shkaplerov’s space bacteria to Roscosmos, the Russian federal space agency.

Can bacteria and other tiny animals survive in space?

Some bacteria, and tiny micro-animals known as tardigrades, have demonstrated the ability to survive for extended periods in the harsh conditions of space. Click here for more Space.com videos…