BIXO Spacecraft - Nanosats Database

Satellite	BIXO (Bacteriological Intercommunication eXperiment in Orbit)
Spacecraft type	CubeSat
Units or mass	2U
Status	not launched, expected in 2027
Launcher	not launched
Organization	University of Vigo
Institution	University
Entity type	Academic / Education
Headquarters	Spain
Oneliner	Astrobiology experiment to study how microorganisms behave in the space environment; specifically to monitor bacterial communication.
Description	The UVigo SpaceLab team is currently developing a CubeSat mission called BIXO (Bacteriological Intercommunication eXperiment in Orbit) to study the impact of prolonged exposure to radiation and microgravity in the space environment on the cell-to-cell communication process of Chromobacterium violaceum. The mission involves conducting three rounds of experiments on this bacteria over nine months, which requires the preservation of the bacteria in a dormant state for long periods. Therefore, successful preservation is a critical requirement for the mission's success. Introduces the freeze-drying method as a powerful alternative for preserving C. violaceum cells and maintaining their viability for the mission. Additionally, it will detail the entire experimental process for obtaining the lyophilized samples of the bacteria, including the integration of the lyophiles into the satellite and an assessment of their viability.
Notes	ESA's Fly Your Satellite!
Sources	[1] [2] [3] [4]

Last modified: 2026-01-03