We advocate for the realization of volatile sample return from various destinations including: small bodies, the Moon, Mars, ocean worlds/satellites, and plumes. As part of recent mission studies (e.g., Comet […]
astro-ph.IM
Posted inIcy Worlds, Press Release
White Paper Towards a Fuller Understanding of Icy Satellite Seafloors, Interiors, and Habitability
Icy satellites represent compelling astrobiological targets, but their rocky interiors must be better characterized. Fundamental research programs and thematic workshops promoting ocean world interdisciplinarity are key. Future missions to icy […]
Posted inMars, Press Release
Nuclear Spectroscopy for the Exploration of Mars and Beyond
Nuclear spectroscopy is the only instrumentation that provides bulk geochemical constraints at depth (up to one meter in the surface). These instruments identify and quantify water and other key elements […]
Posted inHabitable Zones, Press Release
Exogeoscience and Its Role in Characterizing Exoplanet Habitability and the Detectability of Life
The search for exoplanetary life must encompass the complex geological processes reflected in an exoplanet’s atmosphere, or we risk reporting false positive and false negative detections. To do this, we […]
Posted inHabitable Zones, Press Release
Habitability Models for Planetary Sciences
Habitability has been generally defined as the capability of an environment to support life. Ecologists have been using Habitat Suitability Models (HSMs) for more than four decades to study the […]
Posted inHabitable Zones, Press Release
Terrestrial Planets Comparative Climatology (TPCC) Mission Concept
The authors and co-signers of the Terrestrial Planets Comparative Climatology (TPCC) mission concept white paper advocate that planetary science in the next decade would greatly benefit from comparatively studying the […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Icy Worlds, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Ocean Worlds Exploration and the Search for Life
This is a community draft white paper for submission to the Decadal Survey in Planetary Science and Astrobiology, reflecting the views of the NASA Astrobiology Program’s Research Coordination Network for […]
Posted inPress Release, SETI & Technosignatures
One Of Everything: The Breakthrough Listen Exotica Catalog
We present Breakthrough Listen’s “Exotica” Catalog as the centerpiece of our efforts to expand the diversity of targets surveyed in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). As motivation, we introduce […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Press Release
VENUS: A New Apparatus To Investigate Surface Chemistry Routes Leading To Complex Organic Molecules In Space
A multi-beam ultra-high vacuum apparatus is presented. In this article we describe the design and construction of a new laboratory astrophysics experiment — VErs de NoUvelles Synthèses (VENUS) — that […]
Posted inPress Release, SETI & Technosignatures
Opportunities to Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence With the 500m Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope
The discovery of ubiquitous habitable extrasolar planets, combined with revolutionary advances in instrumentation and observational capabilities, has ushered in a renaissance in the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence (SETI). Large scale […]