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Diving for the Moon
NASA astronaut Mike Gernhardt is in charge of developing rovers and spacesuits for the next round of human exploration of the moon. This summer, however, he spent a week piloting a one-person submarine through the depths of a lake in British Columbia, Canada. There is, he insists, a connection.
Source: [Astrobiology Magazine]
September 22, 2008 / Written by: Henry Bortman
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Molecules in the Atmospheres of Extrasolar Planets - A Workshop in Paris
Where Salle Cassini, Observatoire Paris, Paris, France
Exoplanets are being discovered at an ever accelerating pace, and planetary scientists and astronomers are increasingly called upon to make the transition from discovery to characterization. This workshop aims at bringing together different scientific communities: solar system planetary scientists, brown dwarf and exoplanet modellers and observers, molecular spectroscopy and instrument development experts. We will cover different topics: radiative transfer, line lists, photochemical models, dynamics, and observations using space- and ground-based facilities. Current results will be discussed in the context of the preparation of upcoming missions, SPITZER, JWST, and
September 19, 2008 / Posted by: Daniella Scalice
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NASA's Carl Sagan Fellows to Study Extraterrestrial Worlds
NASA announced Wednesday the new Carl Sagan Postdoctoral Fellowships in Exoplanet Exploration, created to inspire the next generation of explorers seeking to learn more about planets, and possibly life, around other stars.
Planets beyond our solar system, called exoplanets, are being discovered at a staggering pace, with more than 300 currently known. Decades ago, long before any exoplanets had been found, the late Carl Sagan imagined such worlds, and pioneered the scientific pursuit of life that might exist on them. Sagan was an astronomer and a highly successful science communicator.
NASA’s new...
September 8, 2008 / Written by: NASA Press Release
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Looking for Life on Mars in a Canadian Lake
On the surface, Pavilion Lake, nestled among the peaks of Canada’s Marble Range, looks like a thousand other mountain lakes. It’s not unusually large or deep. It’s not especially acidic, or alkaline; it’s not overly salty; nor are there high concentrations of minerals dissolved in its water. Locals come here to...
Source: [Astrobiology Magazine]
September 8, 2008 / Written by: Henry Bortman
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Mars Research in Polar Bear Country
New from the Nordic issue of Astrobiology Magazine, European Edition: An interview with Hans Amundsen, the expedition leader of AMASE (Arctic Mars Analog Svalbard Expedition). AMASE scientists travel to a group of islands in the High Arctic in order to conduct Mars-related field research.
Source: [Astrobiology Magazine]
September 3, 2008 / Posted by: Shige Abe
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AMASE 2008 Blog
The 2008 Arctic Mars Analogue Svalbard Expedition now has a blog. Follow along as team members beam reports via Iridium satellite phone.
Here is a brief overview of AMASE from Andrew Steele in the blog
What is AMASE.
Since 2003 the Arctic Mars Analogue Svalbard Expedition has been traveling to field sites on Svalbard to test the protocols, procedures and equipment needed to detect traces of organic chemistry and perhaps life on Mars. The AMASE crew over the years has consisted of over a hundred scientists and engineers from institutions around the world. AMASE is run...
August 11, 2008 / Posted by: Shige Abe
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New ASTEP Projects Reach from Arctic to Antarctic, Mars to Europa
The NASA Astrobiology Science and Technology for Exploring Planets (ASTEP) Program this month has awarded grants to seven new projects, including four field campaigns and three technology development projects.
The new ASTEP field campaigns will take place in terrestrial analogues to other planetary environments, ranging from the high Arctic to Antarctica. The new technology development initiatives will proceed with an eye toward future missions to Mars, Enceladus, and Europa.
The new projects, proposed in response to the NASA Science Mission Directorate’s 2007 “Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences” (ROSES) solicitation, “represent the leading edge of...
July 22, 2008 / Written by: Linda Billings
