US EditionMoss Spores Survive 9 Months Outside International Space Station
Over 80% of moss spores exposed outside the International Space Station survived nearly a year, with almost 90% maintaining normal germination functions, researchers reported.
- On November 20, the journal iScience published results showing more than 80% of Physcomitrium patens spores survived nine months outside the International Space Station and remained capable of reproducing.
- To test habitability, researchers exposed Physcomitrium patens to vacuum, UV, and cosmic radiation outside the International Space Station to assess its potential for Moon or Mars agriculture.
- Samples were sent in March 2022 on Cygnus NG-17 and attached outside the ISS for 283 days before returning on SpaceX CRS-16; lab tests showed sporophytes were most UV-resistant among three moss structures.
- Modeling of the expedition data suggests researchers' mathematical model predicts Physcomitrium patens spores could survive up to 15 years in space, and Tomomichi Fujita envisions moss aiding life support on Moon and Mars.
- The findings feed into panspermia discussions by showing multicellular life can survive extended space trips, while meteoroids and ejecta including more than 2,500 pounds of lunar meteorites and nearly 300 Martian meteorites make interplanetary transfer plausible.
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HaaretzThis tiny plant survived the vacuum of space and still grows
Moss spores survived an extended stay on the outside of the ISS and remained capable of germinating once back on Earth. Their resilience to vacuum, extreme temperatures, and UV radiation surprised the researchers who expected them to perish. The spores' natural protective coat likely played a key role in shielding them. The study hints at the potential for simple plants to support agriculture beyond our planet.
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