The New Mars Underground: Astrobiology, Planetary Science, and Space Resources at the Dawn of Mars Sample Return
The New Mars Underground: Astrobiology, Planetary Science, and Space Resources at the Dawn of Mars Sample Return
Session ID#: 119935
Session Description:
The next era of Mars exploration has begun, with current and future missions highlighting the importance of subsurface science for sample return, astrobiology, and human exploration. Signs of recent groundwater and active gas emissions have been identified by the Curiosity rover. Martian subsurface structure is probed with unprecedented precision via seismic and ground-penetrating radar measurements by the InSight lander and Perseverance rover. Caches for Mars Sample Return will include past subsurface materials that are now exposed at the surface. Future subsurface-oriented Mars missions will revolutionize our understanding of martian habitability, climate, and geologic history. These missions will apply technologies for prospecting and accessing in-situ resources on Mars, enabling human exploration, while also testing technologies for subsurface exploration of other planetary bodies. We invite submissions describing investigations of the martian subsurface, analog terrestrial deep biosphere sites, and subsurface exploration of other planetary bodies, including current missions, mission concepts, and novel technologies.
Index Terms:
0463 Microbe/mineral interactions [BIOGEOSCIENCES]
1060 Planetary geochemistry [GEOCHEMISTRY]
1829 Groundwater hydrology [HYDROLOGY]
6225 Mars [PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLAR SYSTEM OBJECTS]
Primary Convener: Jesse Tarnas, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, United States
Conveners: Ana-Catalina Plesa, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin, Germany and Rachel Lee Harris, Harvard University, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Cambridge, MA, United States
Primary Liaison: Jesse Tarnas, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, United States
See more of: Planetary Sciences