the Russian space agency and the US-based Planetary Society will soon be sending terrestrial life to the Martian moon Phobos. The mini-interplanetary travelers will consist of bacteria, spores, seeds, crustaceans, insects and fungi. Why? To see how biological life, in various forms, deals with space travel spanning three years. So if you thought that a human (or Monkey) would be the first of Earth's ambassadors to land on Mars or one of its moons, you'd be very mistaken. Here you can watch a video clip of very special experiment with the insects, especially with roaches in orbit.
According to results from a Russian biology experiment on the International Space Station (ISS), a mosquito has survived the rigors of space for 18 months. However, this little winged insect didn’t do it inside the comfort of the ISS, he did it outside, in a small can. The Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medical and Biological Problems are currently assessing the impact of cosmic radiation on living organisms as part of the Biorisk program. It would appear that this hardy mosquito coped just fine with no life support and no climate control. The mosquito experienced varying temperatures from a chilly -150°C in the shade to a rather toasty +60°C in direct sunlight. One would expect that after 18 months of this torture treatment there wouldn’t be much left of the freeze dried mozzie, but in fact, he was still “alive” after returning to Earth.
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