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| | | | | | | Tiny animals survive exposure to space
10 November 2008
| Water bears, also known as tardigrades, are very small, segmented animals. The largest species is just over one millimetre in length. Water bears live in temporary ponds and droplets of water in soil and on moist plants. They are known to survive under conditions that would kill most organisms – they can withstand temperatures ranging from -272 deg C to +150 deg C, they can be without water for a period of 10 years, and they are extremely resistant to radiation.
Credits: Willow Gabriel and Bob Goldstein | |  |  | |
| | | | | Preparation of the Foton-M3 spacecraft at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.
Credits: ESA - S.Corvaja | | | | |
| | | | | Biopan is designed to carry out experiments requiring direct exposure to the harsh space environment. On Foton-M3 Biopan contains 10 different experiments in the field of exobiology and radiation exposure. Biopan is located on the outside surface of Foton and, once in orbit, automatically opens to expose its experiments. Biopan is closed prior to re-entry.
Credits: ESA | | | | |
| | | | | Expose allows short and long-term exposure of experiments to space conditions and solar UV-radiation on the International Space Station. Several trays filled with terrestrial organisms are already installed on the outside of the European Columbus laboratory as one of the nine payloads of the European Technology Exposure Facility (EuTEF). Another Expose unit, scheduled for launch on a Russian Progress cargo carrier in November 2008, will be attached to the Russian segment of the Space Station.
Credits: ESA | | | | |
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| | Related articles Fluid theory confirmed by FotonFoton-M3 mission to launch European experimentsLift-off for Foton microgravity missionRelated links Tardigrades in spaceVideo  Foton-M3 launch
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