[B-AO01_28AM1] Astrobiology: Origins, Evolution, Distribution of Life

[BAO01-06] Tanpopo: Astrobiology Exposure and Micrometeoroid Capture Experiments - Experiments at the Exposure Facility of ISS-JEM

*Akihiko YAMAGISHI¹, Shin-ichi YOKOBORI¹, Hajime YANO², Hirofumi HASHIMOTO², Eiichi IMAI³, Makoto TABATA², Hideyuki KAWAI⁴, Hikaru YABUTA⁵, Masumi HIGASHIDE⁶, Kensei KOBAYASHI⁷, Hajime MITA⁸ (1.Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, 2.ISAS/JAXA, 3.Nagaoka University of Technology, 4.Chiba University, 5.Osaka University, 6.Innovative Technology Research Center, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 7.Yokohama National University, 8.ukuoka Institute of Technoology)

Keywords:Panspermia hypothsis, Microbes, Organic compounds, Aerogel, Space exposure experiments

Tanpopo, a dandelion in Japanese, is a plant species whose seeds with floss are spread by wind. We propose this mission to examine possible interplanetary migration of microbes, and organic compounds at the Exposure Facility of Japan Experimental Module (JEM: KIBO) of the International Space Station (ISS). The Tanpopo mission consists of six subthemes: Capture of microbes in space (Subtheme 1), exposure of microbes in space (Subtheme 2), analysis of organic compounds in interplanetary dust (Subtheme 3), exposure of organic compounds in space (Subtheme 4), measurement of space debris at the ISS orbit (Subtheme 5), and evaluation of ultra low-density aerogel developed for the Tanpopo mission (Subtheme 6). 'Exposure Panel' for exposure of microbes and organic materials and 'Capture Panels' for capturing micro particles with aerogel will be launched. The panels will be placed on the Exposed Experiment Handrail Attachment Mechanism (ExHAM) in the ISS. The ExHAM with the panels will be placed on the Exposure Facility of KIBO (JEM) with the Japanese robotic arms through the airlock of KIBO. The panels will be exposed for more than one year and will be retrieved and returned to the ground for the analyses.