Indicator of biological activity of extraterrestrial microorganisms of space objects from outer space

The detection of microorganisms on the cosmic bodies of the Solar System is a great importance for understanding the problem of the origin of life At present, it is difficult to create specialized laboratories conducting the search of living microorganisms on the surface of planets or other space bodies, as formed in the Solar System as captured by the Sun attraction from interstellar space. Existing experiments on descent vehicles, as well as on planetary rovers allow conducting the search of living microorganisms on the surface of planets and their satellites, but in a limited area near the landing site. Given the fact that rare forms of life, as a rule, form colonies that exist in a limited space in hard-to-reach places, the task of finding microorganisms is even more complicated.

In this presentation, the method of remote sensing of the space object surface by flashes of light is considered for the search of biological objects. A signpost of the existence of bioactivity is the detection of specific fluorescence of microorganisms when the object of study is illuminated by the light inducing the fluorescence emission. It is shown that such studies can be carried out directly from outer space, as on the flight paths of a spacecraft near a space object, as from its satellite orbit, or on the surface of a space body after landing the descent vehicle. In the case of the microorganism detection, a detailed study of their biological properties and their habitat is possible using fluorescent analysis.