EFFECT OF STRATOSPHERE CONDITIONS ON SURVIVABILITY OF BACTERIA BACILLUS SUBTILIS AND BACILLUS LICHENIFORMIS

Preparation for remote space exploration, construction of space stations and colonization of planets calls for sophisticated studies of many factors that impact living systems in the extreme space environment. The paper presents our investigation of the catalytic activity of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis inside a microbial fuel cell integrated into a satellite launched into the stratosphere at the altitude of 20 km. At the stage of launch, the voltage drop in the process of microbial microbial vital activity was noted. In the course of the experiment, values of voltage drop in the space-flown microbial fuel cell did not differ from those noted in the ground experiment. These results attest that Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis are able to survive 3.5 hours in the stratosphere without protection.