Working Group Report of Astrobiology Experiments in Earth Orbit (original) (raw)

Abstract

Astrobiology" is defined as origins, evolution, distribution and destiny of life in the Earth and elsewhere in space, which was first proposed by NASA in late 1990s. We organized the working group "Astrobiology Experiments in Earth Orbit" and have been discussed possible subjects of astrobiological experiments in Earth orbit. In 2006, we picked up one of the subjects, and it was proposed to JAXA as the "Tanpopo mission". In this year, we discussed the remaining problems around the Tanpopo mission, together with other possible subjects. In order to analyze organic compounds and microbes, we should have novel most sensitive techniques in the world. One of the promising techniques to detect extant life is fluorometric microscopy. In order to detect quite trace level of organics in dusts, mass microscopy techniques such as TOF-SIMS. These techniques can be used not only in the Tanpopo mission but also future missions to detect life on Mars and beyond. One of the...

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