Missions & Hardware Archives

Notional image of a "BSL-5" facility (one step up from a current terrestrial BSL-4 facility) on the Moon. Grok via Astrobiology.com

Artemis & Lunar Exploration, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Life Support Systems, Microbiology & Virology, Missions & Hardware, Moon, Panspermia, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release, Sample Return

Protecting Earth From Extraterrestrial Contamination: The Case For A Lunar Biocontainment Facility

by Keith CowingJune 4, 2026June 4, 2026

The advancement of space exploration into an era of sample return missions from Mars, asteroids, and icy moons raises the potential for biological contamination either to or from Earth.

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release

MAVEN Mars Mission Is Ending

by Keith CowingJune 3, 2026June 3, 2026

The first mission devoted to observing the Martian atmosphere and its evolution, NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution), has ended after more than 11 years in orbit at Mars […]

Overview of the proposed sample safety assessment protocol summarizing the workflow and decision-making processes. Reprinted from reference 5, previously published -- Applied and Industrial Microbiology

Mars, Missions & Hardware, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release, Reports, Roadmaps, & Plans, Sample Return

Mars Sample Return Campaign: Biological Risk And A Proposed Sample Safety Assessment Protocol

by Keith CowingJune 3, 2026June 3, 2026

Returning surface samples from Mars to Earth has been a major planetary science objective, with the potential for the detection of microbiological life and the possibility of improving our understanding […]

Monterey Bay Aquarium biologists worked alongside MBARI's skilled submersible pilots to gently collect animals for the Monterey Bay Aquarium's groundbreaking deep-sea exhibition, Into the Deep/En lo Profundo. Image: George Matsumoto ©2026 MBARI

Analog Studies, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Missions & Hardware, Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History, Press Release, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return, Tricorders & Sensors, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Ocean Planet Recon: MBARI and Monterey Bay Aquarium Complete Expedition to Guide Seamount

by Keith CowingJune 2, 2026June 2, 2026

Editor’s note: When we start to mount Astrobiology missions to explore ocean worlds we’ll need ways for our robotic submersibles to observe and interact with whatever life forms they may […]

The primary structural framework is fabricated from Al 6061 alloy, while the biological and electrochemical chambers are constructed from polycarbonate. Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are manufactured using FR4 fiberglass-reinforced epoxy laminate due to its mechanical strength, electrical insulation, and flame-retardant properties. MAEx follows a fully modular, non-welded structural design in which all components are assembled using fasteners, spacers, and interlocking structural elements. The three experimental modules are vertically stacked using spacers for mechanical separation and subsystem protection, while electronic boards are mounted within a dedicated cage structure secured to the payload walls. These strategies provide structural rigidity, thermal isolation, and vibration tolerance during launch conditions. induced vibrations while also maintaining appropriate thermal and electrical isolation between subsystems. -- astro-ph.IM

Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Commercial & Private Sector, Cubesats and smallsats, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Missions & Hardware, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Radiation, Space Life Science, Status Report

Development and Demonstration of a Modular Astrobiological Experiments (MAEx) Payload for Autonomous Biological Monitoring in Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

by Keith CowingMay 29, 2026May 29, 2026

The spaceflight environment presents unique physicochemical conditions, including microgravity, ionizing radiation, altered fluid transport, and confined engineered habitats, which influence biological systems and biomolecular assembly processes.

The Investigating Mars at Three Sites Campaign would visit three different locations on Mars. Source NASEM, A Science Strategy for the Human Exploration of Mars (The National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2025), https://doi.org/10.17226/28594.

AI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astronauts and Explorers, Away Teams & Field Reports, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Habitable Zones, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return, Space Physiology & Medicine, Status Report

Highlighting A Science Strategy For Human Exploration Of Mars

by Keith CowingMay 26, 2026May 26, 2026

A Science Strategy for Human Exploration of Mars, charts a bold, scientifically based blueprint for humanity’s greatest cosmic adventure—sending explorers to Mars to answer the universe’s most profound questions: Is […]

Canister containing material collected from asteroid Bennu placed inside the OSIRIS-REx sample return capsule. Credit: NASA/GSFC/Univ. of Arizona/Lockheed Martin

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Missions & Hardware, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Sample Return, Status Report

Asteroid Sample Return Missions Are Critical For Understanding Our Solar System

by Keith CowingMay 24, 2026May 24, 2026

Studying asteroids addresses a number of unknowns in planetary science. Investigating them makes use of asteroidal meteorites, remote observations and space-based missions.

a The Viking 1 & 2 landers detected chlorinated breakdown products likely formed through interactions between organics and oxychlorine anions during thermal volatilization utilized for analysis11,12, b the Curiosity rover identified various functionalized organic fragments and long-chain n-alkanes (for simplicity, a subset is illustrated here)13,15, and the Perseverance rover measured redox-driven organo-mineral associations and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); * indicates that PAHs reported by Fornaro et al. (2025) were found in different locations and geologic units than organo-mineral associations reported by Hurowitz et al. (2025)14,16. d Carbonaceous meteorites and asteroids delivered to planetary surfaces contain a rich array of organics, including some of the same compounds detected on Mars (e.g., macromolecular carbon, thiophenes, PAHs, long-chain n-alkanes), along with a diverse suite of prebiotic organics, which highlights the importance of understanding abiotic background material when searching for organic biosignatures on Mars5,6,7,18. Image credits: a NASA/JPL, b NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS, c NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS, d NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona. -- Nature via PubMed

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Status Report

An Organics-forward Approach To Searching For Life On Mars

by Keith CowingMay 24, 2026May 24, 2026

The modern Martian surface is cold, dry, oxidizing, and perpetually bombarded with radiation, rendering it generally inhospitable to life as we know it.

The Mars rover with its innovative wheels, which can ‘swim’ through sand, modelled on a desert lizard. (Image: Marco Schmidt / Universität Würzburg)

Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return

Innovative Mars Rovers Swim Through The Sand

by Keith CowingMay 22, 2026May 22, 2026

Some animals can move efficiently beneath granular surfaces. These include the sandfish (Scincus scincus), a lizard native to the Sahara: it can burrow into the sand and then literally ‘swim’ […]

Astronauts and Explorers, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Conferences and Meetings, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Life Support Systems, Mars, Microbiology & Virology, Microgravity, Missions & Hardware, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Plant Biology, Status Report, Terraforming & Geoengineering

Limits of Terrestrial Life and the Probability of Growth on Mars (Virtual Meeting)

by Keith CowingMay 20, 2026May 20, 2026

Committee on Planetary Protection (CoPP) (Virtual Meeting June 1-2, 2026)June 1 – 2, 2026 This meeting is to provide information to NASA so it can develop a prioritized list of […]

Missions & Hardware

Protecting Earth From Extraterrestrial Contamination: The Case For A Lunar Biocontainment Facility

MAVEN Mars Mission Is Ending

Mars Sample Return Campaign: Biological Risk And A Proposed Sample Safety Assessment Protocol

Ocean Planet Recon: MBARI and Monterey Bay Aquarium Complete Expedition to Guide Seamount

Development and Demonstration of a Modular Astrobiological Experiments (MAEx) Payload for Autonomous Biological Monitoring in Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

Highlighting A Science Strategy For Human Exploration Of Mars

Asteroid Sample Return Missions Are Critical For Understanding Our Solar System

An Organics-forward Approach To Searching For Life On Mars

Innovative Mars Rovers Swim Through The Sand

Limits of Terrestrial Life and the Probability of Growth on Mars (Virtual Meeting)

Atmospheric Evolution Through Outgassing And Escape On Young Molten Rocky Exoplanets

The Exozodi Spectral Effect: Residual Habitable Zone Dust May Bias ExoEarth Characterization

The Majority Of Hot Jupiters Formed Beyond The Water Ice Line

Sulfur Photochemistry Observationally Traces Mantle Redox States Of Rocky Planets

Tracing The Source Of Carbon Oxides On The Large Moons Of Uranus