Town Hall for NASA Decadal Astrobiology Research and Exploration Strategy (DARES) UPDATE
Join us for an interactive NASA Astrobiology Town Hall where we will provide an overview of the forthcoming NASA Decadal Astrobiology Research and Exploration Strategy (NASA-DARES 2025).
UPDATE: the recorded event can be viewed on YouTube.
This new Strategy aims to address the evolving needs of the astrobiology community, reflecting its growth and increasing interdisciplinarity. NASA-DARES 2025 emphasizes astrobiology’s expanded role as a central pillar across NASA’s scientific research and mission portfolios, creating a framework that guides research and exploration over the next decade.
Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the ongoing Request for Information (RFI) process, accessible through the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) at https://go.nasa.gov/ABStrategyRFI.
We will also discuss how the RFI feedback will be used to inform the Strategy’s direction, as well as additional opportunities for community involvement and engagement throughout the coming year.
Submit a Question:
Ask questions in advance by clicking the “Submit A Question“ button above. Let us know what issues matter the most to you by upvoting questions already in the list.
Agenda:
- 1:00 PM Presentation – DARES Overview/Strategy (30 minutes – Rachel)
- 1:30 PM Questions (30 minutes – Rachel/David)
Presenters:
- David Grinspoon, Senior Scientist for Astrobiology Strategy, NASA HQ
- Rachel Harris, NASA Postdoctoral Management Program Fellow, NASA HQ
For more information: https://go.nasa.gov/ABStrategyRFI
Questions submitted ranked in order of UPVOTES
59Upvotes Why isn’t this Decadal document being prepared through the usual National Academies decadal process?
56Upvotes How is DARES different from the 2023-2032 Decadal Survey for Planetary Science and Astrobiology?
51Upvotes Why is this document necessary given the planetary and astrophysics decadal reports and the 2019 NASEM Astrobiology Strategy?
42Upvotes Why is NASA DARES community input period so short?
34Upvotes Will the names of submitters and co-signers be linked to RFI submissions as the process moves forward?
18Upvotes Can graduate students lead and submit white papers for the strategy?
18Upvotes By illuminating fundamental chemical and biological processes of life, the field of Astrobiology has the potential to shape and progress conversations, research and applications across the entire span of academic disciplines, as, they all arise from human biology and some concept of the origin of life. This also applies to societal applications. Astrobiology is the origin of all human endeavors. How is the continued translation of astrobiology into academic and societal applications being conceptualized, anticipated, and planned? Whereas the Kluge Center at the Library of Congress has been a central convener for this conversation, are there plans to expand their role in the broader vision of astrobiology? Are other organizations, events, or communication platforms being considered or planned? Are the potential practical (more than conceptual) economic value of astrobiology applications (academic and societal) being mapped in a ‘Value of NASA’ perspective? Healthcare appears to be a low hanging fruit opportunity.
17Upvotes What is the role and purview of the coordination group and will there be an opportunity to apply for a coordination group role?
17Upvotes With these new strategies, what is the best way undergraduates can prepare for the future of astrobiological research?
17Upvotes Topic 3 asks for cross-divisional and cross-directorate collaboration. Is it expected that PSD would support this science or will concomitant funding from other areas of NASA be allocated?
17Upvotes Will there be efforts to include Astrobiology in academic curriculum in colleges and universities?
15Upvotes Why is DARES necessary, given fewer funding opportunities, fewer ROSES programs, fewer NASA missions, etc.?
15Upvotes is there a way that I as an undergraduate can contribute?
14Upvotes Several topics (e.g. 1, 4, 5, 6, 8) appear to be out of scope for the science community’s input, but should be directed, or at least compiled, by HQ leadership.
11Upvotes Now that we’re sending spacecraft to Europa, which has subsurface liquid water, should we redefine the Habitable Zone?
9Upvotes I notice that the Astrobiology Federation appears to be 100% HQ people. We know that HQ doesn’t care much about what the workforce at Centers thinks about anything, but I would have guessed that you would have at least included a couple of Center scientists for optics. Don’t you think you might want to tap into a more representative spectrum of NASA’s astrobiology expertise???
8Upvotes As an M.Tech Graduate in Biotechnology. How could I contribute to NASA’s future missions in the Astrobiology field?
8Upvotes Will there be a town hall or other opportunity at upcoming science meetings (like AGU in December) to discuss/brainstorm before the February deadline? This might result in fewer, more comprehensive/collaborative white papers as opposed to many submitted with similar ideas from different authors.
7Upvotes If John Oliver were to produce a show with a focus on NASA DARES 2025, what aspects of the report would you want to review again before his fact checking team started to look at it? I happened to juxtapose the two as I just finished watching coincidentally this NYT Interview episode in which he is the guest. https://youtu.be/Q9kNMJ8SguQ?si=FUEuZNhIpw6OA8h9 I mean, if it were to be subjected to a totally different kind of peer review, whose purpose is not just to make sure all is accurate, but would be presented to the public with humor, how would you write it differently? Or not? Would you welcome his show’s scrutiny? And laugh along? or..?
6Upvotes I noticed Origins of Life was not included in the slide about the current landscape of astrobiology at NASA. Is NASA losing interest in OoL?
6Upvotes So NASA Astrobiology Strategy document is where a ROSES proposal’s relevance has to be established, regardless of NASEM?
6Upvotes We’ve been trying to bring other directorates and divisions into cross-cutting astrobiology for years. It has always foundered on the rocks of bureaucratic budget turf protectiveness. How will that be different now? Good intentions are wonderful, but dealing with this baked on cultural behavior requires more.
5Upvotes Can a respondent be the main submitter and/or a co-investigator of multiple RFI responses?
5Upvotes Can white papers (in part, or in full) be submitted to a journal for publication during the formulation process of DARES?
5Upvotes What is the page limit of the main text (excluding references) to be submitted as an RFI response?
5Upvotes Would it be helpful for assessment groups such as OPAG and SBAG to submit organized white papers that reflect broad community consensus?
5Upvotes In recent years, biology is gradually losing prominence in astrobiology-will biology,molecular evolution & transition be given prominence in the coming years?
5Upvotes How does this DARES activity co-align with PESTO work?
5Upvotes The 2015 Strategy document has a brief portion of the appendix dedicated to contributions of humanities and social sciences. Will this topic get a larger role in the main text for DARES?
5Upvotes When is NASA Astrobiology going finally to move outside of being under the Planetary Science Division and just become a cross-divisional office above the Division level to support cross-divisional interdisciplinary science and missions? It’s silly for one Division’s mission to not be leveraged more easily by other Divisions.
5Upvotes Is there room for Prebiotic Chemistry/Origins of life input. It wasn’t mentioned thus far?
5Upvotes Can international researchers contribute to the document officially? Will they be credited for that?
4Upvotes If RCN leadership is asked to process submitted responses as described in the RFI, will they be compensated for their time or will this be an additional duty?
4Upvotes Will funding be provided to work on the task force?
2Upvotes Which ROSES will we be expected to reference this DARES document in our proposals? ROSES26?
2Upvotes Who exactly can apply for the the task forces
2Upvotes Where will the Origin of Life be in DARES? And connections with NASA’s ongoing efforts in Astrochemistry?
1Upvotes Is this a NASA-only joint that will then be used as a basis for collaboration with other space agencies, or will input and/or collaboration with eg ESA be worked into the planning at some point?
1Upvotes Is there some way you can open up RFPs to artists as well? Exploration and discovery is non-linear. It is important to include them in this process– which should inspire and broaden the honesty of the scientific process.
1Upvotes What aspect of citizen science can participate in the RFI process?
astrobiology
