Review and Recommendations for Experimentations in Earth Orbit and Beyond

The space environment is regularly used for experiments addressing astrobiology research goals. The specific conditions prevailing in Earth orbit and beyond, notably the radiative environment (photons and energetic particles) and the possibility to conduct long-duration measurements, have been the main motivations for developing experimental concepts to expose chemical or biological samples to outer space, or to use the reentry of a spacecraft on Earth to simulate the fall of a meteorite. This paper represents an overview of past and current research in astrobiology conducted in Earth orbit and beyond, with a special focus on ESA missions such as Biopan, STONE (on Russian FOTON capsules) and EXPOSE facilities (outside the International Space Station). The future of exposure platforms is discussed, notably how they can be improved for better science return, and how to incorporate the use of small satellites such as those built in cubesat format

From interstellar chemistry to prebiotic chemistry: organic matter evolution toward the life

WOS:000305043300007International audienceFrom interstellar chemistry to prebiotic chemistry: organic matter evolution toward the life The formation and evolution of organic matter starts mostly in dense molecular clouds. These clouds are mainly composed of interstellar grains, including most of the organic matter of 1:he interstellar medium embedded in molecular ices. During the evolution of these grains, this organic matter will undergo many chemical changes (ion bombardment, UV irradiations, and thermal effects) to achieve a true complexity of the organic matrix. In some areas, the cloud will collapse gravitationally on itself to form a "solar nebula" that will evolve into a protostar and potentially to a planetary system like our own. During this evolution, the interstellar grains will agglomerate to form small objects including the original organic matter, which from their evolution around the star can be described as comets or asteroids. These small objects can serve as a reservoir of organic matter for the development of prebiotic chemistry on the surface of terrestrial planets like the Earth, a prelude to the emergence of biosystems as it has indeed been the case on the Earth

From interstellar chemistry to prebiotic chemistry: organic matter evolution toward the life

WOS:000305043300007International audienceFrom interstellar chemistry to prebiotic chemistry: organic matter evolution toward the life The formation and evolution of organic matter starts mostly in dense molecular clouds. These clouds are mainly composed of interstellar grains, including most of the organic matter of 1:he interstellar medium embedded in molecular ices. During the evolution of these grains, this organic matter will undergo many chemical changes (ion bombardment, UV irradiations, and thermal effects) to achieve a true complexity of the organic matrix. In some areas, the cloud will collapse gravitationally on itself to form a "solar nebula" that will evolve into a protostar and potentially to a planetary system like our own. During this evolution, the interstellar grains will agglomerate to form small objects including the original organic matter, which from their evolution around the star can be described as comets or asteroids. These small objects can serve as a reservoir of organic matter for the development of prebiotic chemistry on the surface of terrestrial planets like the Earth, a prelude to the emergence of biosystems as it has indeed been the case on the Earth

On the conditions for mimicking natural selection in chemical systems

International audienc

Data-Driven Astrochemistry: One Step Further within the Origin of Life Puzzle

Astrochemistry, meteoritics and chemical analytics represent a manifold scientific field, including various disciplines. In this review, clarifications on astrochemistry, comet chemistry, laboratory astrophysics and meteoritic research with respect to organic and metalorganic chemistry will be given. The seemingly large number of observed astrochemical molecules necessarily requires explanations on molecular complexity and chemical evolution, which will be discussed. Special emphasis should be placed on data-driven analytical methods including ultrahigh-resolving instruments and their interplay with quantum chemical computations. These methods enable remarkable insights into the complex chemical spaces that exist in meteorites and maximize the level of information on the huge astrochemical molecular diversity. In addition, they allow one to study even yet undescribed chemistry as the one involving organomagnesium compounds in meteorites. Both targeted and non-targeted analytical strategies will be explained and may touch upon epistemological problems. In addition, implications of (metal)organic matter toward prebiotic chemistry leading to the emergence of life will be discussed. The precise description of astrochemical organic and metalorganic matter as seeds for life and their interactions within various astrophysical environments may appear essential to further study questions regarding the emergence of life on a most fundamental level that is within the molecular world and its self-organization properties

Data-Driven UPLC-Orbitrap MS Analysis in Astrochemistry

International audienceMeteorites have been found to be rich and highly diverse in organic compounds. Next to previous direct infusion high resolution mass spectrometry experiments (DI-HR-MS), we present here data-driven strategies to evaluate UPLC-Orbitrap MS analyses. This allows a comprehensive mining of structural isomers extending the level of information on the molecular diversity in astrochemical materials. As a proof-of-concept study, Murchison and Allende meteorites were analyzed. Both, global organic fingerprint and specific isomer analyses are discussed. Up to 31 different isomers per molecular composition are present in Murchison suggesting the presence of ≈ 440,000 different compounds detected therein. By means of this time-resolving high resolution mass spectrometric method, we go one step further toward the characterization of chemical structures within complex extraterrestrial mixtures, enabling a better understanding of organic chemical evolution, from interstellar ices toward small bodies in the Solar System

Data-Driven UPLC-Orbitrap MS Analysis in Astrochemistry

Meteorites have been found to be rich and highly diverse in organic compounds. Next to previous direct infusion high resolution mass spectrometry experiments (DI-HR-MS), we present here data-driven strategies to evaluate UPLC-Orbitrap MS analyses. This allows a comprehensive mining of structural isomers extending the level of information on the molecular diversity in astrochemical materials. As a proof-of-concept study, Murchison and Allende meteorites were analyzed. Both, global organic fingerprint and specific isomer analyses are discussed. Up to 31 different isomers per molecular composition are present in Murchison suggesting the presence of ≈440,000 different compounds detected therein. By means of this time-resolving high resolution mass spectrometric method, we go one step further toward the characterization of chemical structures within complex extraterrestrial mixtures, enabling a better understanding of organic chemical evolution, from interstellar ices toward small bodies in the Solar System

Data-Driven UPLC-Orbitrap MS Analysis in Astrochemistry

International audienceMeteorites have been found to be rich and highly diverse in organic compounds. Next to previous direct infusion high resolution mass spectrometry experiments (DI-HR-MS), we present here data-driven strategies to evaluate UPLC-Orbitrap MS analyses. This allows a comprehensive mining of structural isomers extending the level of information on the molecular diversity in astrochemical materials. As a proof-of-concept study, Murchison and Allende meteorites were analyzed. Both, global organic fingerprint and specific isomer analyses are discussed. Up to 31 different isomers per molecular composition are present in Murchison suggesting the presence of ≈ 440,000 different compounds detected therein. By means of this time-resolving high resolution mass spectrometric method, we go one step further toward the characterization of chemical structures within complex extraterrestrial mixtures, enabling a better understanding of organic chemical evolution, from interstellar ices toward small bodies in the Solar System