Astrobiology Science and Technology for Exploring Planets (ASTEP)

Centro de Astrobiología

Álvaro Giménez Cañete
NAI International Partner Contact
agimenez@rssd.esa.int

http://cab.inta.es/

The Centro de Astrobiologia (CAB) was the first astrobiology center outside the USA to be associated with the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI). In 1999, CAB was an Acting Associate International Member of NAI. This membership was formalized in 2000.

Application of the scientific method to astrobiology requires the combination of theory, simulation, observation, and experiment. This application is the most important goal for the CAB. The multidisciplinary setting provided by CAB allows engineers to interact with experimental, theoretical, and observational scientists from various fields: astronomy, fluid dynamics, geology, biogeochemistry, biology, genetics, remote sensing, bio-informatics, ecology, computer science, physics, robotics, and communications engineering. CAB research relates to the systematization of the chain of events that took place between the Big Bang and the origin and evolution of life, or between self organization of the interstellar gas.

Technological and scientific fields active in the Centro de Astrobiologia may be classified into these groups:

1.) Observing and modeling (in astrophysics, planetary sciences, biology, and ecology), with observation and analysis of phenomena related to astrobiology and creation of models that derive a scientific explanation for them;

2.) Theory, applied to fields in which the theoretical research of the CAB will be focused (hydrodynamics, emergence, critical phenomena of equilibrium, self-organized criticality, fragmentation & fractality, fractal science networks); and

3.) Supporting technologies, which are applied technology fields for CAB work (bioinformatics, specific purpose computers, advanced communication systems, telematics & robotics) where the connection between scientific research and forefront technologies produce an advantageous alignment.

CAB works with the view that sciences and technologies aren’t isolated human activities, which simply apply knowledge and understanding of nature from the laboratory to daily life. These endeavors are a way to improve human culture and increase human freedom. To these general considerations, one has to add these points:

1.) The obligation of scientists/technicians (whose salaries and laboratories are paid by the public) to return their debt to the society financing them; and

2.) The duty of those professionals to transmit their knowledge to the following generations.