A part of NASA's Astrobiology Small Payloads Program, the loaf-of-bread-sized O/OREOS, or Organism/Organic Exposure to Orbital Stresses nanosatellite will see how microorganisms will react to the space environment. The nanosatellite was launched from upon a U.S. Air Force four-stage Minotaur IV rocket out of Kodiak Island, Alaska.
The first 12 pound CubeSat will perform two distinct astrobiological science experiments in space. These two experiments, the Space Environment Survivability of Live Organisms (SESLO) and the and the Space Environment Viability of Organics (SEVO) will be monitored by scientists based in Santa Clara, California. SESLO will examine microorganism activity and the ability of these organisms to adapt to a harsh space environment. SEVO will watch over four classes of organic molecules as they go through changes in the vacuum of space.
"We are excited to have this opportunity to demonstrate the utility of these very small spacecraft in space for NASA's science missions," said Bruce Yost, O/OREOS mission manager at NASA's Ames Research Center, according to a NASA press release. "We’re hoping to demonstrate NASA’s ability to build complex nanosatellites like O/OREOS that can meet the needs of scientists with big ideas and lofty goals."
The Minotaur rocket launch was performed by Orbital Sciences Corporation.
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