Environmental Data and Survival Data of Deinococcus aetherius from the Exposure Facility of the Japan Experimental Module of the International Space Station Obtained by the Tanpopo Mission

The Tanpopo mission has two objectives: (1) test the panspermia hypothesis and (2) test whether organic compounds may have been transferred to Earth before the origin of life. We developed an exposure panel (EP) designed to expose microbes and organic compounds to the space environment and a capture panel designed to capture high-velocity particles on the International Space Station (ISS) using aerogel contained in an aluminum container. The panels returned after 1 year of exposure at the Exposure Facility of the Japan Experimental Module, ISS. In this communication, we report the measurements of temperature, radiation dosimeter and vacuum ultraviolet dosimeter in the EP, and survival data of Deinococcus aetherius. The environmental data are consistent with survival data of microbes and organic compounds, which will be presented elsewhere in detail.