Stardust in Paris: Sharing Our Stratospheric Discoveries at the IAC
Paris, a city of art and history, became a city of the future for one week in September 2022 as it hosted the 73rd International Astronautical Congress. To be there, surrounded by the world’s leading minds in space exploration, and to share our own piece of research was an unforgettable experience. Our team presented the results from our BEXUS 30 Stardust experiment, an ambitious project to investigate microbial life in the stratosphere.
Our experiment flew on a BEXUS stratospheric balloon from the Esrange Space Center in Sweden in September 2021. The core of our mission was to see what, if anything, lives in that harsh environment, characterized by intense radiation, low temperatures, and low pressure. To do this, we combined traditional microbiology with modern methods like MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and Sanger DNA sequencing.
The experiment itself consisted of a custom-built sampling system with sterile filters designed to capture microorganisms as air was pumped through them high in the stratosphere. We knew going in how challenging this would be. The stratosphere is incredibly poor in microorganisms compared to the air near the ground, and the risk of contamination from our own equipment or during handling is immense.
Presenting our work in Paris, we were able to share our preliminary—and very exciting—results. We confirmed that while difficult, our contamination control measures were effective, and our methods allowed us to study the low quantities of material we collected.
The findings were remarkable. Our studies so far suggested that we might have discovered up to nine new species or strains of microorganisms, though final confirmation awaits full DNA sequencing. Perhaps the most captivating discovery was one microorganism that has the rare ability to produce a blue dye. What’s fascinating is that the intensity of this dye production is dependent on temperature—the lower the temperature, the more vibrant the blue becomes.
The BEXUS project was an amazing opportunity that allowed us, as students, to focus on our scientific payload while being supported by professionals. The investigation of the material we captured is still ongoing, and we are hopeful to conduct more missions in the future to expand our understanding of the diversity and distribution of life in the stratosphere. Standing on the stage in Paris, sharing these discoveries, felt like we were truly contributing to the vast and exciting field of astrobiology.