Spores of black mold and some bacteria can survive the takeoff of a spacecraft and a trip to Mars, astrobiologists have found. As a result, such disputes become dangerous for astronauts, according to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology.
To recreate the surface conditions of the “red planet”, scientists launched bacteria and fungi to a height of 38 kilometers above the ground in a balloon. The samples were placed in a special container in which the Martian temperature, pressure, atmosphere and soil composition were reproduced.
So, of all bacteria sent to the stratosphere, the worst result was shown by extremophile bacteria from the genus Buttiauxella, which were almost completely sterilized. At the same time, a significant part of the remaining samples survived the flight. Best of all, black mold spores, which cause dangerous infections in the human lungs, have succeeded.
According to scientists, mold can live on the surface of Mars for up to five hours. Such data jeopardize the safety of future missions to Mars, researchers say.
Earlier, German scientists have found microorganisms that can grow and develop in the Martian atmosphere. According to the researchers, based on cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, it is possible to create life support systems for people who will live on the surface of Mars.