Study of the effects of the outer space environment on dormant forms of microorganisms, fungi and plants in the 'Expose-R' experiment

Investigations of the effects of solar radiation combined with the spaceflight factors on biological objects were performed in the «EXPOSE-R» experimenton the outersurface ofISS. After more than 1 year of outerspaceexposure,thesporesofmicroorganismsandfungi,aswellastwospeciesofplantseedswereanalysed for viability and the set of biological properties. The experiment provided evidence that not only bacterial and fungalsporesbutalsodormantformsofplantshadthecapabilitytosurvivealong-termexposuretoouterspace. Received 11 August 2014, accepted 6 November 2014