Exobiology in the Solar System & The Search for Life on Mars - ESA

Team IV was asked to exam<strong>in</strong>e <strong>the</strong> ways <strong>in</strong> which a manned station on Mars, operat<strong>in</strong>g over an extended period, might assist <strong>in</strong>
fur<strong>the</strong>r develop<strong>in</strong>g exobiology research on that planet a decade or so from now. It was also asked to consider whe<strong>the</strong>r such a
station would pose significant risks to that research.
<strong>The</strong> Team did not consider <strong>the</strong> question of whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> benefits from manned
<strong>in</strong>tervention <strong>in</strong> exobiology research on Mars constituted a reason to argue <strong>for</strong> a
manned mission. On <strong>the</strong> contrary, it was assumed that <strong>the</strong> reasons <strong>for</strong> such a mission
would be based upon a variety of considerations, most of which would not directly
relate to exobiology. Hence, <strong>the</strong> discussions were narrowly focused upon <strong>the</strong> question
‘What could a manned presence do to aid exobiology research?’
Until <strong>the</strong>re is a susta<strong>in</strong>able manned presence on Mars, all exobiology research will
have to be done by <strong>in</strong> situ measurements us<strong>in</strong>g robotic systems, toge<strong>the</strong>r with sample
return missions. Consequently, human <strong>in</strong>tervention is likely to be welcomed, just as
it is on Earth <strong>in</strong> a research environment, to do those th<strong>in</strong>gs that cannot readily be done
by mach<strong>in</strong>es. <strong>The</strong>se primarily <strong>in</strong>volve <strong>the</strong> exercise of judgement, based upon
extensive professional and personal experience, coupled with flexibility and <strong>in</strong>genuity
to adapt and to improvise.
To benefit fully from exobiology research and its associated fields of m<strong>in</strong>eralogy
and geochemistry, it is <strong>the</strong>re<strong>for</strong>e important that some of <strong>the</strong> Mars crew have
professional tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>se fields. Without that background expertise, <strong>the</strong> value of
<strong>the</strong>ir presence will be substantially dim<strong>in</strong>ished, just as it would be <strong>in</strong> a terrestrial
laboratory.
<strong>The</strong> extent of <strong>the</strong>ir stay on Mars and, <strong>in</strong> particular, <strong>the</strong> time <strong>the</strong>y will have <strong>for</strong>
scientific activities, as dist<strong>in</strong>ct from life-support and base-systems ma<strong>in</strong>tenance
activities, are very important factors <strong>in</strong> judg<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir potential value to science. If
humans are to play a useful scientific role on Mars <strong>the</strong>n it is essential <strong>the</strong>y have <strong>the</strong>
time, <strong>the</strong> means and <strong>the</strong> professional tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g to do so. Science support should not
come as some late afterthought.
<strong>The</strong> Team considered a number of ways <strong>in</strong> general where human <strong>in</strong>tervention could
be beneficial. More difficult was <strong>the</strong> question of specific activities, s<strong>in</strong>ce exobiology
research on Mars is only two missions old. Organics have yet to be discovered and
fossils are a distant dream. Consequently, <strong>the</strong> Team could extrapolate only a short
distance. None<strong>the</strong>less, <strong>the</strong>re was a consensus that tra<strong>in</strong>ed professionals could be of
considerable value <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g types of activities on Mars:
• site identification by local analysis of areas identified from orbital surveys. This
may be achieved by long-range rovers under <strong>the</strong> control of Mars-located specialists
or, <strong>for</strong> shorter journeys, actually driven by specialists;
• sample acquisition at those sites would be aided by manned <strong>in</strong>tervention. This
would be especially valuable when deep (>1.5 m) subsurface drill<strong>in</strong>g and core
sampl<strong>in</strong>g is undertaken;
• <strong>the</strong> actual sampl<strong>in</strong>g process, <strong>in</strong> a geological field prospect<strong>in</strong>g scenario, is greatly
improved if undertaken by a qualified person, ra<strong>the</strong>r than by a remotely-controlled
robot;
• <strong>the</strong>re is <strong>in</strong>evitably an element of serendipity <strong>in</strong> even <strong>the</strong> most carefully planned
search <strong>for</strong> <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g samples. If <strong>the</strong> search is per<strong>for</strong>med by tra<strong>in</strong>ed personnel, <strong>the</strong>n
benefits can accrue ow<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> exercise of judgement and ‘<strong>in</strong>tuition’;
• if a laboratory can be established on Mars, <strong>the</strong>n manned supervision of prelim<strong>in</strong>ary
sample analyses becomes a valuable facility that can significantly speed up <strong>the</strong>
(NASA/Pat Rawl<strong>in</strong>gs)
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