Exobiology and SETI from the lunar farside
Abstract
Within the Life Sciences Division of NASA, the Exobiology Program seeks to understand the origin, evolution and distribution of life in the universe. Given the current state of our own technology, there are only two feasible methods of searching for life beyond the Earth. The first is to return to Mars and systematically explore its surface and sub-surface with instrumentation capable of identifying extinct as well as extant life. The second is to search for advanced forms of life in other planetary systems that have developed a technology capable of modifying their environment in ways that make it detectable across the vast interstellar distances. The Exobiology program is currently pursuing both of these options.
- Publication:
-
Astrophysics from the Moon
- Pub Date:
- July 1990
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.39361
- Bibcode:
- 1990AIPC..207...99T
- Keywords:
-
- Exobiology;
- Extrasolar Planets;
- Lunar Far Side;
- Mars (Planet);
- Project Seti;
- Biological Evolution;
- Lunar Bases;
- Microwave Sounding;
- Planetary Atmospheres;
- Space Sciences (General);
- 95.45.+i;
- 95.55.Cs;
- 97.80.Ms;
- 96.30.Gc;
- Observatories and site testing;
- Ground-based ultraviolet optical and infrared telescopes;
- Mars