MACIE: Mars Astrobiological Caves and Internal Habitability Explorer (a New Frontiers Mission Concept) for the next decade
Abstract
Post-Noachian Mars' (<3.1 Ga) surface conditions degraded rapidly, rendering these environments inhospitable to life as we know it. Brines and metastable water ice may have persisted in lava tube caves; their presence could have allowed life to thrive and may support modern and/or recently habitable subsurface environments where life exists today.
MACIE, a New Frontiers-class mission concept, addresses the National Academies call to explore the Martian subsurface to determine its habitability and astrobiological potential. MACIE's science payload will search for evidence of extant or past Martian life by searching for organic, morphological, and mineral biosignatures. Additionally, MACIE will determine the habitability of subsurface cavities by (1) quantifying the primary and alteration mineralogy and geochemistry of the cave; (2) determining the presence and extent of brines and water ice; (3) evaluating cave micro-climate via temperature, pressure, and relative humidity measurements; (4) and mapping cave geometry and volume; and (5) characterizing the radiation environment. These measurements will yield essential context for MACIE's astrobiology investigation, providing environmental evidence in support of a either a detection or non-detection of life. Understanding the habitability and astrobiological potential of the Martian subsurface is now possible within the next decade as multiple technologies under development are reaching maturity. Most known lava tube entrances on Mars require tethered robotic entry through a vertical skylight. Additional reconnaissance of areas where lava tube skylights occur will likely reveal non-vertical entrances to lava tube caves - ingress via a non-vertical route would simplify mission architecture and decrease operational risk. The Collaborative SubTerranean Autonomous Resilient robots (CoSTAR) Team, a top contender to win DARPA's current Sub-Terranean Challenge, will enhance MACIE's operational concepts and planning through evolutionary progress in mobility, communication, and autonomous sampling and navigation in the absence of GPS.- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020AGUFMP057...04P
- Keywords:
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- 0406 Astrobiology and extraterrestrial materials;
- BIOGEOSCIENCES;
- 6225 Mars;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLAR SYSTEM OBJECTS;
- 6297 Instruments and techniques;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLAR SYSTEM OBJECTS;
- 5430 Interiors;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLID SURFACE PLANETS