OREANDA-NEWS. October 15, 2008. A batch of experimental Earth microorganisms will fly to Martian Moon, Phobos, and come back under the Probos-Grunt project, Alexander Zakharov, academic secretary of the Russian Space Research Institute, told Interfax. The results of the experiment will help confirming the theory about space origin of the life on the Earth. In addition, the experiment will become one of the stages in preparing human missions to Mars.

"The aim of the experiment is to find out how the microorganisms behave during long-term space missions. Container with bio-tourists will be integrated in the returned capsule. They will visit Phobos and come back", said Zakharov.

The USA will deliver the container for microbes. Microorganisms will be selected in the Russian labs.

Phobos-Grunt is to be implemented under the Russian Federal Space Program up to 2015. Two Martian missions are to be performed in the framework of this program. The first mission to Phobos is scheduled for 2009. Later on, Mars mission is to be conducted. The date for this mission has not been defined yet, but it is to take place not later than in 2015. Application power and landing experiments are included in this mission.