BIXO Satellite

Spacecraft BIXO (Bacteriological Intercommunication eXperiment in Orbit)
Form factor CubeSat
Units or mass 2U
Status not launched, expected in 2025
Launcher not launched
Organisation University of Vigo
Institution University
Entity type Academic / Education
Headquarters Spain
Oneliner

Astrobiology experiment to study how microorganisms behave in the space environment; specifically to monitor bacterial communication.

Description

The UVigo SpaceLab team is currently developing a CubeSat mission called BIXO (Bacteriological Intercommunication eXperiment in Orbit) to study the impact of prolonged exposure to radiation and microgravity in the space environment on the cell-to-cell communication process of Chromobacterium violaceum. The mission involves conducting three rounds of experiments on this bacteria over nine months, which requires the preservation of the bacteria in a dormant state for long periods. Therefore, successful preservation is a critical requirement for the mission's success.

Introduces the freeze-drying method as a powerful alternative for preserving C. violaceum cells and maintaining their viability for the mission. Additionally, it will detail the entire experimental process for obtaining the lyophilized samples of the bacteria, including the integration of the lyophiles into the satellite and an assessment of their viability.

Sources [1] [2] [3]

Last modified: 2024-05-29

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Created by Erik Kulu

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