BioSentinel

BioSentinel
Illustration of BioSentinel in the heliocentric orbit
Mission typeAstrobiology, space medicine
OperatorNASA
COSPAR ID2022-156F Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.55906
Mission duration18 months (planned)
24 months (in progress)
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftBioSentinel
Spacecraft typeCubeSat
Bus6U CubeSat
ManufacturerNASA / Ames Research Center
Launch mass14 kg (31 lb) [1]
Dimensions10 cm × 20 cm × 30 cm
Power30 watts (solar panels)
Start of mission
Launch date16 November 2022, 06:47:44 UTC[2]
RocketSLS Block 1
Launch siteKSC, LC-39B
ContractorNASA
Orbital parameters
Reference systemHeliocentric orbit
Transponders
BandX-band

BioSentinel is a lowcost CubeSat spacecraft on a astrobiology mission that will use budding yeast to detect, measure, and compare the impact of deep space radiation on DNA repair over long time beyond low Earth orbit.[1][3]

Selected in 2013 for a 2022 launch, the spacecraft will operate in the deep space radiation environment throughout its 18-month mission.[4] This will help scientists understand the health threat from cosmic rays and deep space environment on living organisms and reduce the risk associated with long-term human exploration, as NASA plans to send humans farther into space than ever before.[3][4] The spacecraft was launched on 16 November 2022 as part of the Artemis 1 mission.[2] In August 2023, NASA extended BioSentinel's mission into November 2024.[5]

The mission was developed by NASA Ames Research Center.

  1. ^ a b Ricco, Tony (2014). "BioSentinel: DNA Damage-and-Repair Experiment Beyond Low Earth Orbit" (PDF). NASA Ames Research Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ a b Roulette, Joey; Gorman, Steve (16 November 2022). "NASA's next-generation Artemis mission heads to moon on debut test flight". Reuters. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b "NASA TechPort -- BioSentinel Project". NASA. Retrieved 19 November 2015. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ^ a b Caldwell, Sonja (15 April 2019). "BioSentinel". NASA. Archived from the original on 13 June 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ^ "NASA Extends BioSentinel's Mission to Measure Deep Space Radiation". nasa.gov. 8 August 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.