Aims. Aminoalcohol molecules such as alpha-aminoethanol NH 2 CH(CH 3)OH may be aminoacid precursors. We attempt to charac-terize and detect this kind of molecules which is important to establish a possible link between interstellar molecules and life as we know it on Earth. Methods. We use Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry to study the formation of alpha-aminoethanol NH 2 CH(CH 3)OH in H 2 O:NH 3 : CH 3 CHO ice mixtures. Isotopic substitution with 15 NH 3 and ab-initio calculation are used to confirm the identification of alpha-aminoethanol. Results. After investigating the thermal reaction of solid NH 3 and acetaldehyde CH 3 CHO at low temperature, we find that this reac-tion leads to the formation of a chiral molecule, the alpha aminoethanol NH 2 CH(CH 3)OH. For the first time, we report the infrared and mass spectra of this molecule. We also report on its photochemical behavior under VUV irradiation. We find that the main photo-product is acetamide (NH 2 COCH 3). Data provided in this work indicates that alpha-aminoethanol is formed in one hour at 120 K and suggests that its formation in warm interstellar environments such as protostellar envelopes or cometary environments is likely.