Биотехносфера и околоземное космическое пространство

Abstract

Intensive development of Near-Earth Space is accompanied by its microbiological contamination. Viable bacteria have been already detected on external structures of the International Space Station. A thin gaseous envelope and a layer of organic deposits are formed around a manned spacecraft. They can serve as a substrate for the evolution of some forms of microorganisms. As a result, the simplest natural-technical system is emerged in the near-Earth space. Biological objects can penetrate this system from the Earth’s atmosphere, or as gas leakage from the manned spacecrafts. In the nearest future the number of orbital space stations will increase many times. Some of them will be created by private firms for the purpose of space tourism development. Between the orbital stations and the Earth will be a constant transport of large numbers of people and cargos. Together with them microscopic biological objects will move in both directions. As a result of this, the natural-technical systems of space vehicles will integrate in the global natural-technical system — biotechnosphere. New strains of microorganisms which are hazardous to human may occur in the near-Earth space. The exploitation of a large number of manned stations in the Space hypothetically creates conditions for the penetration of alien life forms to the Earth. For timely identification of such threats it has been proposed to create an interdisciplinary scientific research complex. Its purpose is monitoring the appearance of new organisms at all stages of their movement from the near-Earth space to the Earth. Special attention should be paid to the study of biological objects detected on the Earth in areas hardly suitable for terrestrial microorganisms, for example, in different technological environments or clusters of toxic waste.