Volcanic Caves as Priority Sites for Astrobiology Science
Whitepaper #306 submitted to the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032. Topics: life and prebiotic organics; Mars; technology development
by Jennifer G. Blank, Ali-akbar Agha-mohammadi, Ernest R. Bell, Jr., David A. Crown, Benjamin Morrell, Christopher J. S. Patterson, Kyle Uckert, and Patrick L. Whelley
Published onMar 18, 2021
Volcanic Caves as Priority Sites for Astrobiology Science
We urge NASA to develop technology needed to enter a planetary cave with a payload optimized for life detection. We summarize current technology/challenges associated with remote characterization of caves, exploration vehicles with advanced autonomy, communications, operations capabilities, and sensor systems for life and biosignature ID.
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY 4.0)
