@article{HuweFiedlerMoritzetal.2019,
  author    = {Huwe, Bj{\"o}rn and Fiedler, Annelie and Moritz, Sophie and Rabbow, Elke and de Vera, Jean-Pierre Paul and Joshi, Jasmin Radha},
  title     = {Mosses in Low Earth Orbit},
  series = {Astrobiology},
  volume    = {19},
  journal   = {Astrobiology},
  number    = {2},
  publisher = {Liebert},
  address   = {New Rochelle},
  issn      = {1531-1074},
  doi       = {10.1089/ast.2018.1889},
  pages     = {221 -- 232},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {As a part of the European Space Agency mission "EXPOSE-R2" on the International Space Station (ISS), the BIOMEX (Biology and Mars Experiment) experiment investigates the habitability of Mars and the limits of life. In preparation for the mission, experimental verification tests and scientific verification tests simulating different combinations of abiotic space- and Mars-like conditions were performed to analyze the resistance of a range of model organisms. The simulated abiotic space- and Mars-stressors were extreme temperatures, vacuum, and Mars-like surface ultraviolet (UV) irradiation in different atmospheres. We present for the first time simulated space exposure data of mosses using plantlets of the bryophyte genus Grimmia, which is adapted to high altitudinal extreme abiotic conditions at the Swiss Alps. Our preflight tests showed that severe UVR200-400nm irradiation with the maximal dose of 5 and 6.8 x 10(5) kJ center dot m(-2), respectively, was the only stressor with a negative impact on the vitality with a 37\% (terrestrial atmosphere) or 36\% reduction (space- and Mars-like atmospheres) in photosynthetic activity. With every exposure to UVR200-400nm 10(5) kJ center dot m(-2), the vitality of the bryophytes dropped by 6\%. No effect was found, however, by any other stressor. As the mosses were still vital after doses of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) expected during the EXPOSE-R2 mission on ISS, we show that this earliest extant lineage of land plants is highly resistant to extreme abiotic conditions.},
  language  = {en}
}
@misc{deVeraAlawiBackhausetal.2019,
  author    = {de Vera, Jean-Pierre Paul and Alawi, Mashal and Backhaus, Theresa and Baque, Mickael and Billi, Daniela and Boettger, Ute and Berger, Thomas and Bohmeier, Maria and Cockell, Charles and Demets, Rene and de la Torre Noetzel, Rosa and Edwards, Howell and Elsaesser, Andreas and Fagliarone, Claudia and Fiedler, Annelie and Foing, Bernard and Foucher, Frederic and Fritz, J{\"o}rg and Hanke, Franziska and Herzog, Thomas and Horneck, Gerda and H{\"u}bers, Heinz-Wilhelm and Huwe, Bj{\"o}rn and Joshi, Jasmin Radha and Kozyrovska, Natalia and Kruchten, Martha and Lasch, Peter and Lee, Natuschka and Leuko, Stefan and Leya, Thomas and Lorek, Andreas and Martinez-Frias, Jesus and Meessen, Joachim and Moritz, Sophie and Moeller, Ralf and Olsson-Francis, Karen and Onofri, Silvano and Ott, Sieglinde and Pacelli, Claudia and Podolich, Olga and Rabbow, Elke and Reitz, G{\"u}nther and Rettberg, Petra and Reva, Oleg and Rothschild, Lynn and Garcia Sancho, Leo and Schulze-Makuch, Dirk and Selbmann, Laura and Serrano, Paloma and Szewzyk, Ulrich and Verseux, Cyprien and Wadsworth, Jennifer and Wagner, Dirk and Westall, Frances and Wolter, David and Zucconi, Laura},
  title     = {Limits of life and the habitability of Mars},
  series = {Astrobiology},
  volume    = {19},
  journal   = {Astrobiology},
  number    = {2},
  publisher = {Liebert},
  address   = {New Rochelle},
  issn      = {1531-1074},
  doi       = {10.1089/ast.2018.1897},
  pages     = {145 -- 157},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {BIOMEX (BIOlogy and Mars EXperiment) is an ESA/Roscosmos space exposure experiment housed within the exposure facility EXPOSE-R2 outside the Zvezda module on the International Space Station (ISS). The design of the multiuser facility supports-among others-the BIOMEX investigations into the stability and level of degradation of space-exposed biosignatures such as pigments, secondary metabolites, and cell surfaces in contact with a terrestrial and Mars analog mineral environment. In parallel, analysis on the viability of the investigated organisms has provided relevant data for evaluation of the habitability of Mars, for the limits of life, and for the likelihood of an interplanetary transfer of life (theory of lithopanspermia). In this project, lichens, archaea, bacteria, cyanobacteria, snow/permafrost algae, meristematic black fungi, and bryophytes from alpine and polar habitats were embedded, grown, and cultured on a mixture of martian and lunar regolith analogs or other terrestrial minerals. The organisms and regolith analogs and terrestrial mineral mixtures were then exposed to space and to simulated Mars-like conditions by way of the EXPOSE-R2 facility. In this special issue, we present the first set of data obtained in reference to our investigation into the habitability of Mars and limits of life. This project was initiated and implemented by the BIOMEX group, an international and interdisciplinary consortium of 30 institutes in 12 countries on 3 continents. Preflight tests for sample selection, results from ground-based simulation experiments, and the space experiments themselves are presented and include a complete overview of the scientific processes required for this space experiment and postflight analysis. The presented BIOMEX concept could be scaled up to future exposure experiments on the Moon and will serve as a pretest in low Earth orbit.},
  language  = {en}
}