1. Extremophile Collection and Identification
Trinidad State Junior College
Balloon Satellite

2. Extremophile Primitive prokaryotes –variety of archaea and bacteria
Survive harsh environments
Withstand high levels of acidity and alkalinity; extreme temperature and pressure
ISRO-sponsored balloon flight-claimed new discovery( Janibacter hoylei, Bacillus isronensis, and Bacillus aryabhata

3. The Objective
Build satellite to launch at high altitude (25,000-30,000 m)
Meet weight requirement (1.5 kg)
Cost no more than 1,000$
Instruments in spacecraft-functional and intact for the ascent and descent
Collect an extremophile and Identify

4. Payload
Equipped with data acquisition (2 Hobos) that measure temp. on both the heated and unheated sides of payload and pressure
Two 9 volt batteries-power to heater and hobos
80m plastic nylon tube (internally coated with agar)

5. Design Based on Pieter Tan’s Aircore
Balloon Satellite-80m plastic nylon tubing (963.36gm)
Base and Top cover (99.08gm)
Flight tube (17.9gm)
Three 9volt batteries (128.31gm)
Electonic wires (82.5gm)
Two hobo datalogger devices(132.16gm)
Aluminum wrap (77.28gm) Total = gm

6. Balloon Satellite Vs Petier Tans’s instrument
Aircore-record trace gases in air samples at atmospheric pressure)
Balloon satellite plastic nylon tubing (collect gas with microbes-slugs)

7. Test Plan and Flight Results
Testing (agar coverage in tubing and viability, sterility)-no contamination
Mission simulation testing-cooler (temperature) test (7- 10 lbs. of dry ice)-maintained integrity
Cultured tubes

8. Flight

9. Flight Data From P(t) and T(t), compute density from ideal gas law
Multiply by tube volume gives mass of gas in tube at any altitude
Thanks to Anna Karion and Jack Higgs At NOAA for sharing their data.
Thanks to EOSS for altitude data.

10. The Collection
Colonies of growth in petri dish of N=nutrient broth, A=blood agar of anaerobes, O=blood agar of aerobes
L0-1 = highest sample
L1-2 = 2nd highest …
L27-28 = lowest sample
Digits refer to clamp position, 0=top, 28=bottom)

11. Results, Analysis, and Conclusion

12. Results
Successfully incubated multiple different bacteria – no definitive identification
Successfully demonstrated sterile technique – at least in some of the tube sections
Did we collect extremophiles?
Cross contamination-major concern

13. Ready for Flight Simple design Easy access and retrieval of data
Only satellite problem was pressure sensor failure
Need new plastic nylon tube with interior of agar (replace)

14. The Benefits New discoveries – life may thrive – harsh conditions
Astrobiology ( development of life on distant planets
Biology (Taq Polymerase-use of enzyme from extremophile)

15. Potential Follow-on Work
Worth continuing-significance of extremophiles
Gram stains- overlooked bacteria-Potential for discovery
Improve on identification of bacteria
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) - example from other missions – cryopump effect
Use mixture of agars inside tube?

16. BIG Question
How do we discern with high confidence that cultured microbes are from high-altitude and not contaminants?