(Please note: comments concerning this draft revision
of the Astrobiology Roadmap will be accepted through June 21, 2002, and
may be submitted to chowell@mail.arc.nasa.gov.
We cannot guarantee a reply to each message, but all remarks and suggestions
will be carefully considered.)
Introduction
Astrobiology
and the roadmap
Astrobiology is the
study of the origin, evolution and distribution of life in the universe.
It provides a biological perspective to many areas of NASA research. It
links such endeavors as the search for habitable planets, exploration
missions to Mars and the outer Solar System, efforts to understand the
origins and early evolution of life, and charting the potential of life
to adapt to future challenges, both on Earth and in space. This NASA Astrobiology
Roadmap is the product of efforts by more than 200 scientists and technologists,
including NASA employees, academic scientists whose research is partially
funded by NASA grants, and many members of the broader community who have
no formal association with NASA.
Fundamental
Questions
Astrobiology addresses three
basic questions, which have been asked in some form for generations. Astrobiology
is exciting today because we have the technology to begin to answer them.
- How does life begin and evolve?
- Does life exist elsewhere in
the universe?
- What is the future of life on Earth and beyond?
Principles
This roadmap emphasizes the following four principles
that are fundamental to the operation of the Astrobiology Program:
- Astrobiology is multidisciplinary
in its content and interdisciplinary in its execution. Its success depends
critically upon the close coordination of diverse scientific disciplines
and programs.
- Astrobiology encourages planetary
stewardship through an emphasis on protection against biological contamination
and recognition of the ethical issues surrounding the export of terrestrial
life beyond Earth.
- Astrobiology recognizes a broad
societal interest in our subject, especially in areas such as achieving
a deeper understanding of life, searching for extraterrestrial biospheres,
assessing the societal implications of finding other examples of life,
and envisioning the future of life on Earth and in space.
- The intrinsic public interest in astrobiology mandates a strong element of education and public outreach.