Welcome to the home of BioLEx, the Biological Lunar Experiment currently being designed for the European Student Moon Orbiter (ESMO).

BioLEx is an experiment being developed by a team of postgraduate students based at the Open University’s Centre for Earth, Planetary, Space and Astronomical Research, CEPSAR.

BioLEx will be the primary science payload on an ambitious European Space Agency (ESA) mission in which students from across member states and Canada are responsible for designing, researching and developing a spacecraft to reach the Moon.

ESA are backing this mission with the provision for a launch opportunity from the European Spaceport facility in Kourou. ESMO has a number of student teams working on the various subsystems that will form one cohesive spacecraft, including the on-board data handling, propulsion, electrical power and structure amongst others.

The Open University team is involved with the spacecraft’s scientific payload. Specifically, the team will provide an experiment to study the effects of travelling from the Earth to the Moon on micro-organisms.

For more information on our involvement please feel free to roam the site and email if you have any queries, comments or suggestions. Many thanks,


The BioLEx Team