NASA Astrobiology Roadmap

NASA ASTROBIOLOGY
Volume 8, Number 4, 2008

Abstract;
The NASA Astrobiology Roadmap provides guidance for research and technology development across the
NASA enterprises that encompass the space, Earth, and biological sciences. The ongoing development of astrobiology
roadmaps embodies the contributions of diverse scientists and technologists from government, universities,
and private institutions.

The Roadmap addresses three basic questions: how does life begin and evolve,
does life exist elsewhere in the universe, and what is the future of life on Earth and beyond? Seven Science
Goals outline the following key domains of investigation: understanding the nature and distribution of habitable
environments in the universe, exploring for habitable environments and life in our own Solar System, understanding
the emergence of life, determining how early life on Earth interacted and evolved with its changing
environment, understanding the evolutionary mechanisms and environmental limits of life, determining
the principles that will shape life in the future, and recognizing signatures of life on other worlds and on early
Earth.

For each of these goals, Science Objectives outline more specific high priority efforts for the next three
to five years. These eighteen objectives are being integrated with NASA strategic planning. Astrobiology 8,
715–730.



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There are 7 key Science Goals[Summerised as headings by Johnney Guinness];

Goal 1—Understand the nature and distribution of habitable environments in
the universe. Determine the potential for habitable planets beyond the Solar
System, and characterize those that are observable.

GOAL 2—Determine any past or present habitable environments, prebiotic
chemistry, and signs of life elsewhere in our Solar System. Determine the
history of any environments having liquid water, chemical ingredients, and
energy sources that might have sustained living systems. Explore crustal
materials and planetary atmospheres for any evidence of past and/or
present life.

GOAL 3—Understand how life emerges from cosmic and planetary
precursors. Perform observational, experimental, and theoretical
investigations to understand the general physical and chemical principles
underlying the origins of life.

GOAL 4—Understand how life on Earth and its planetary environment have
co-evolved through geological time. Investigate the evolving relationships
between Earth and its biota by integrating evidence from the geosciences
and biosciences that shows how life evolved, responded to environmental
change, and modified environmental conditions on a planetary scale.

GOAL 5—Understand the evolutionary mechanisms and environmental limits
of life. Determine the molecular, genetic, and biochemical mechanisms that
control and limit evolution, metabolic diversity, and acclimatization of life.

GOAL 6—Understand the principles that will shape the future of life, both on
Earth and beyond. Elucidate the drivers and effects of microbial ecosystem
change as a basis for forecasting future changes on time scales ranging
from decades to millions of years, and explore the potential for microbial life
to survive and evolve in environments beyond Earth, especially regarding
aspects relevant to US Space Policy.

GOAL 7—Determine how to recognize signatures of life on other worlds and
on early Earth. Identify biosignatures that can reveal and characterize past
or present life in ancient samples from Earth, extraterrestrial samples
measured in situ or returned to Earth, and remotely measured planetary
atmospheres and surfaces. Identify biosignatures of distant technologies.

Read the full science paper here.

John.

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