Exploration
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Comets and Asteroids, Exploration Gear & Tech, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Reports, Roadmaps, & Plans, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors

Planetary Exploration 3.0: A Roadmap for Software-Defined, Radically Adaptive Space Systems

by Keith Cowing

The surface and subsurface of worlds beyond Mars remain largely unexplored. Yet these worlds hold keys to fundamental questions in planetary science – from potentially habitable subsurface oceans on icy […]

Posted inAnalog Studies, Astrogeology, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Conferences and Meetings, Desert Worlds, Education and Outreach, Mars, People Of Astrobiology, Status Report

Summer School: “Biosignatures and the Search For Life on Mars”

by Keith Cowing

“Biosignatures and the Search For Life on Mars”, will be held in Iceland from 18 to 26 July 2026

Posted inExploration Gear & Tech, Life Support Systems, Mars, Moon, Space Agriculture, Status Report, Terraforming & Geoengineering

Agent Mars: Multi-Agent Simulation for Multi-Planetary Life Exploration and Settlement

by Keith Cowing

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed robotics, healthcare, industry, and scientific discovery, yet a major frontier may lie beyond Earth. Space exploration and settlement offer vast environments and resources, but impose […]

Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Missions & Hardware, Nomenclature, Systematics, Natural History, People Of Astrobiology, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Conceptual Challenges In Astrobiological Analog Environments And Paths Toward Resolution

by Keith Cowing

Analog environments are terrestrial environments that resemble extraterrestrial sites; this concept originated in space sciences for defining methods to study planetary geology, training for missions and testing research instruments.

Posted inAI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Artemis & Lunar Exploration, Away Teams & Field Reports, Conferences and Meetings, Exploration Gear & Tech, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Moon, Status Report, Video, Audio, Webcasts, Podcasts

Foundational Artificial Intelligence for the Moon and Mars (FAIMM) Webinar

by Keith Cowing

On Monday, February 23, 2026 at 12 pm Eastern Time, the planetary science division will host a webinar overview of program element C.12 Foundational Artificial Intelligence for the Moon and […]

Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Missions & Hardware, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors

Ultra-low Noise Mid-infrared Detector Could Help Detect Biosignatures On Exoplanets

by Keith Cowing

The mid-infrared (MIR) wavelength range, from 5 to 25 micrometers, is an important regime for astrophysics as it can be used to detect the biosignatures of life that may exist […]

Posted inAstrobiology (general), Astropharmacy / Biotechnology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Away Teams & Field Reports, Commercial & Private Sector, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Missions & Hardware, Nanotechnology & SynBio, NASA Astrobiology Program, Origin & Evolution of Life, Reports, Roadmaps, & Plans, Science Fiction, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Searching For Extraterrestrial Life Advances Terrestrial Sustainability

by Keith Cowing

Astrobiology, while traditionally focused on understanding the origin of life on Earth and the potential for life elsewhere, offers powerful tools and insights for addressing urgent challenges on our planet.

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