A Crashed Israeli Lunar Lander Spilled Tardigrades on the Moon(2019)
On April 11, 2019, the Israeli lunar lander Beresheet crashed on the Moon, but its lunar library likely survived. Future missions will include more DNA samples to preserve human knowledge.
Read original article
On April 11, 2019, the Israeli lunar lander Beresheet, which aimed to be the first privately funded spacecraft to land on the Moon, crashed during its descent. The mission, led by SpaceIL and supported by the Arch Mission Foundation, included a lunar library containing 30 million pages of information, human DNA samples, and thousands of tardigrades, also known as water bears. Despite the crash, Nova Spivack, founder of the Arch Mission Foundation, expressed confidence that the lunar library survived mostly intact due to its robust design, which included layers of nickel and epoxy resin that provided protection during the impact. Tardigrades are known for their resilience and ability to survive extreme conditions, raising questions about their potential revival in the future. Spivack noted that while the library's physical integrity is promising, the status of the DNA and tardigrades remains uncertain. The mission's legal implications were also addressed, as NASA's regulations on planetary protection are less stringent for the Moon compared to Mars. Looking ahead, Spivack plans to incorporate more DNA samples in future missions and aims to create a comprehensive backup of human knowledge and biology in space, emphasizing the importance of preserving humanity's heritage.
- The Beresheet lunar lander crashed on the Moon on April 11, 2019.
- The mission included a lunar library with 30 million pages of information and tardigrades.
- The lunar library is believed to have survived the crash due to its protective design.
- Tardigrades may potentially be revived in the future, although their current status is unknown.
- Future missions will include more DNA samples to further preserve human knowledge and biology.
Related
NASA cancels $450M mission to drill for ice on the Moon
NASA cancels $450-million VIPER mission to drill for Moon ice due to budget constraints and delays. Agency seeks partners for rover use. Concerns raised, but NASA remains committed to lunar exploration.
There Are Probably Dinosaur Remains on the Moon
Recent discussions suggest that fragments of dinosaur remains may exist on the Moon, ejected by the asteroid impact that caused their extinction 65 million years ago, potentially traveling through space.
Human genome stored on 'everlasting' memory crystal
Scientists at the University of Southampton have stored the human genome on a durable 5D memory crystal, aiming to preserve genetic information for potential future revival of humanity or endangered species.
Will Plants Grow on the Moon?
NASA's LEAF project will grow mustard cress, brassica, and duckweed on the Moon during the Artemis III mission to study lunar radiation effects, aiding future lunar agriculture for long-duration space missions.
The Insanely Amazing Apollo Missions: the tech, the landings and the expeditions
The Apollo missions from 1969 to 1972 successfully landed six manned spacecraft on the Moon, utilizing the innovative Apollo Guidance Computer and setting the stage for future lunar exploration.
9 commentsI thought the news felt like a deja-vu
At this point it’s more an experiment on the limitations that these creatures can be pushed to in the Lunar environment.
No, the Israelis did, if the container was breached, which it may not have been
edit: I’m curious what’s inaccurate about this answer, thats what the article says
Related
NASA cancels $450M mission to drill for ice on the Moon
NASA cancels $450-million VIPER mission to drill for Moon ice due to budget constraints and delays. Agency seeks partners for rover use. Concerns raised, but NASA remains committed to lunar exploration.
There Are Probably Dinosaur Remains on the Moon
Recent discussions suggest that fragments of dinosaur remains may exist on the Moon, ejected by the asteroid impact that caused their extinction 65 million years ago, potentially traveling through space.
Human genome stored on 'everlasting' memory crystal
Scientists at the University of Southampton have stored the human genome on a durable 5D memory crystal, aiming to preserve genetic information for potential future revival of humanity or endangered species.
Will Plants Grow on the Moon?
NASA's LEAF project will grow mustard cress, brassica, and duckweed on the Moon during the Artemis III mission to study lunar radiation effects, aiding future lunar agriculture for long-duration space missions.
The Insanely Amazing Apollo Missions: the tech, the landings and the expeditions
The Apollo missions from 1969 to 1972 successfully landed six manned spacecraft on the Moon, utilizing the innovative Apollo Guidance Computer and setting the stage for future lunar exploration.