+ 1970 News Releases (7.6 Mb PDF file) - NASA

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MSC 70-58
Microbial analysis of the retrieved Surveyor parts began in the
LRL early this year following the release from quarantine of the Apollo
12 crew. Mitchell revealed details of the five month study following
completion of testing on the ret-_ieved camera and backup Surveyor III
camera.
Mitchell sa_d the microorganism was found in a small bit of
polyurethane foszr_which was used as insulation in circuit boards
inside the camera housing. The small bit of foam (one cubic millimeter
in size) was placed in Thioglycollate broth, a bacterial media
solution_ at 37 degrees centigrade.
"The first signs of life were observed after four days of
incubation (in the bacterial media). On the next day (the fifth day
of incubation) the tube was turbid with gro_dth_" Mitchell reported.
"The aec'amulation of data concerning its growth in association
with the foam sample, the location where it was isolated_ the initial
delay in growth_ and other laboratory data leads us to conclude that
the best explanation of the data is that it is a 'surviving organism'
deposited prior to launch and not on its return trip to Earth/'
Mitchell
said.
Samples of the microorganism were sent to U. S. Communicable
Disease Center_ Atlanta, Ga., which confirmed it to be Streptococcus
mitis.
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