MOSCOW, May 26. /TASS/. Russia's space corporation Roscosmos says it is studying dust samples collected on the outer surface of the International Space Station (ISS) for the presence of any traces that might point to the existence of extra-terrestrial life forms.

"The micrometeorites and comet dust that settle on the ISS surface may contain biogenic substance of extra-terrestrial origin in its natural form. The ISS surface is possibly a unique and easily available collector and keeper of comet substance and, possibly, of biomaterial of extra-terrestrial origin," Roscosmos says.

Specialists at the leading research center of Russia’s space rocket industry say they have arrived at this conclusion on the basis of a space experiment called Test.

Since 2010 the station’s crews during space walks have collected nineteen dust samples from the ISS surface. The scientists who have been studying the substances believe that such matter may be a temporary keeper of biomaterial of extra-terrestrial origin.

Russian ballistic specialists have found that the ISS spends 60% of its time in flight inside comet substance flows.