Weve reported in the previous about the Venus Life Finder (VLF) objective, which is currently in the proposal phase but could possibly one day check out the Venusian clouds for indications of life. The instrumentation the mission will use to discover that life will be vital.
FSs underlying technology is a type called lab-on-a-chip, which, according to the companys website, seeks to “replace the 130-year-old Petri meal with a microchip.” It utilizes a technique called dielectrophoretic (DEP) microbial particle capture– basically, it separates single-cell organisms by flooding them with electrical fields and then capturing them on the electrode.
This has made the technology extremely effective at discovering bacterial contamination. According to FSs website, it can do so with 99% accuracy in a matter of minutes. One prospective application is the food and beverage industry, which likes to know faster rather than later if part of the processing line is infected.
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Depiction of the Fluid-Screen system.Credit– Weber et al
. As pointed out previously, what alien life types appear like is anyones guess. If they are single-celled, they would probably be subject to the very same essential forces that make DEP work so well as a detection system for bacteria here on Earth. As such, a space-based version of FS might be useful in helping VLF understand whether there are any life types on Venus.
To do that, though, it has to be able to withstand the Venusian environment. No simple jobs, thinking about that even in the cloud themselves, the probes are wholly surrounded by what is thought to be sulfuric acid, which is extraordinarily corrosive to instrumentation. Thats not even considering what life would resemble on earths surface area..
FS would also have to can being blasted into space in a form element significantly smaller than its existing version. While not insurmountable, those 2 obstacles position a potential stopping point for its inclusion in the VLF objective, which plans to introduce its preliminary mission in 2023 on top of a RocketLab Electron rocket.
Weve reported in the past about the Venus Life Finder (VLF) objective, which is currently in the proposal phase but could possibly one day explore the Venusian clouds for signs of life. What precisely that life would look like is anybodys guess. The instrumentation the mission will use to discover that life will be crucial. It could potentially directly discover life in the Venusian environment– if only it could deal with the sulfuric acid.
A space-based version of FS might be useful in assisting VLF comprehend whether there are any life types on Venus.
UT video on the search for life on Venus.
Thats most likely too fast for the necessary innovation development required to consist of FS on the very first VLF objective. Still, Dr. Weber, the CEO and developer of FS, is among the VLFs primary group members, so she will be well-dialed into any future development requirements of the task.
And as their recent case research study mentions, there are lots of other chances for using FS on astrobiological missions. Enceladus and Europa are a lot more accommodating places for FS. Or a minimum of they do not have as much sulfuric acid.
Either method, new innovations being offered in the search for extraterrestrial life are constantly welcome. It should have all the support it can get if FS can potentially assist contribute to that long-term goal.
Discover More: Weber. et al– Direct In-Situ Capture, Separation and Visualization of Biological Particles with Fluid-Screen in the Context of Venus Life Finder Mission Concept StudyUT– What Would it Take to Find Life on Venus?UT– A Private Mission to Scan the Cloud Tops of Venus for Evidence of LifeUT– Will Venus finally respond to, Are we alone?.
Lead Image: Depiction of the Venus Life Finder program.Credit– Seger et al
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