Executive Summary

When recent discoveries about limits of life, the frequency and characteristics of extraterrestrial planets, factors affecting ecosystem evolution, and adaptability of terrestrial life in space

are coupled with. . .

Extraordinary advances available and projected in technologies for space, remote sensing, molecular biology, imaging, biotechnology, materials, sensors, computers, information processing

and. . .

Planned and possible new mission opportunities. . .

Fundamental questions about life in the universe may now be answered.

Summary

The Workshop identified opportunities for near-term astrobiology payloads on missions being developed by NASA’s Space, Earth, and Human Exploration and Development of Space Enterprises in addition to external and commercial missions. Attendees also evaluated readiness levels of candidate payload technologies and identified and ranked potential technology areas that need to be advanced.

Participants represented a number of disciplines and organizations and came from the Office of Space Flight, JPL, universities, large aerospace industries, and small businesses.

Key Results

There are abundant near-Earth and Solar System piggyback payload opportunities for astrobiology investigations. Space Station opportunities begin in 1999. Several comet missions were identified between 1999 and 2010, some with payload opportunities, all returning important data for astrobiology research. Two missions to Mars (an orbiter mission and a lander mission) will occur every twenty six months. A mission to Europa is planed for launch in 2003, and additional opportunities to characterize Europa may be realized using piggyback opportunities on other deep space missions. Also, the Hubble Space Telescope may be used to gather more astrobiologically relevant information on Europa. Commercial flights, including those to deep space, can dramatically amplify the targets of opportunity. They also offer a new paradigm for doing space research by allowing the PI to deliver the science payload (based on a NASA Headquarters run competitive selection) while the commercial partner handles all the other logistics. However, in many cases, the relevant astrobiology technologies are at a readiness level too low to take advantage of these opportunities without a near-term commitment.