The sled, pictured in the background, is pulled by Ruby, Tovic and six other dogs. After the microbes have been exposed to these severe conditions for a period of time, we will recover them and distribute them to classrooms. Grade school students can perform simple laboratory protocols on their samples to see how their microbes fared, and they'll be able to compare harsh environments on Earth to places like Europa, the Moon, and Mars. The WMRS maintains four research facilities for high-altitude research in the White Mountains of eastern California. The highest facility sits atop the White Mountain summit, a wind-swept peak at 14,249 ft.
Conditions there are severe.
Near the summit air pressure is only 600 millibars and the sustained temperature during winter is a frigid -20 C. Annual precipitation is less than 12 inches, most of which arrives as snow in winter. The temperature, pressure, and low humidity are similar to conditions at Earth's south pole during the austral summer. This astrobiology activity is a new area for us and we're eager to support it. The WMRS staff have opened their facilities as shelters for the dog sled team, broken some difficult trails with snowmachines, and helped convey the yeast vessel to its present location. The Life on the Edge microbe vessal is strapped to the side of this building at 13,000 ft elevation.