Could Earth-based microbes survive a trip to Mars? Yes! That’s why we made sure NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover met cleanliness requirements before leaving our home planet. Dr. Moogega Cooper from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is here to fill us in.
Yes, it is possible for microorganisms to survive the journey from Earth to Mars. That’s why we have a program specifically dedicated to ensuring the spacecraft is as clean as possible before leaving Earth—if we ever detect life on Mars, we are certain that it did not come from our own planet.
The journey to Mars includes the harsh vacuum of space, UV and ionizing radiation, and drastic temperature changes depending on if you’re facing the Sun or shielded away from it. While most microbes on Earth could not survive these conditions, one prominent type of microbe that could survive the journey are called bacteria endospores, which can form seed-like structures that allow them to stay dormant until better conditions arise. This “superpower” is why spore forming bacteria are given special focus when NASA cleans spacecraft being sent to Mars.
Just to give you an idea, the Mars 2020 mission – which includes NASA’s Perseverance rover – carried 10 times less bacteria than what you’d find in a teaspoon of seawater.
So yes, it is possible for a microbe to survive the journey from Earth to Mars, which is why it’s our job to make sure it doesn’t hitch a ride on NASA spacecraft.
We Asked a NASA Expert Video Series
- Why is Venus Called Earth’s Evil Twin?
- Is NASA Really Crashing a Spacecraft Into an Asteroid?
- Is NASA Aware of Any Earth-Threatening Asteroids?
- When Was the Last Time an Asteroid Hit Earth?
- How Did Perseverance Mars Rover Pick Its Landing Spot?
- What if an Asteroid Was Going To Hit Earth?
- Did Mars Ever Look Like Earth?
- What Are Lagrange Points?
- What Are the Trojan Asteroids?
- Is There Oxygen on Mars?
- Does NASA Know About All the Asteroids?
- Do Aliens Exist?
- Is There Weather on Mars?
- Will an Asteroid Ever Hit Earth?
- Is Mars Habitable?
- Could Microbes Survive a Trip to Mars?
include link to description of radioDurensis bacteria ( wikipedia ? )
Deinococcus radiodurans is an extremophilic bacterium and one of the most radiation-resistant organisms known. It can survive cold, dehydration, vacuum, and acid, and therefore is known as a polyextremophile. It has been listed as the world’s toughest known bacterium in The Guinness Book Of World Records.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deinococcus_radiodurans
I still can’t see why going to Mars is important. To be politically correct they should ask the bacteria whether they want to go.