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[had] and detect that [life is] there.” the Russian Federal Space agency.
Mustard went on to explain that it It is a mission that includes an
makes more sense financially and
orbiter and lander planned for
scientifically to search for past life 2016 and a rover with a drill that
instead of current life. He believes
can reach two meters beneath
that we must continue studying the toxic surface, planned for
the past geology of the planet 2018. The 2018 mission objective
in order to better understand is to search for past or present
whether past life existed on Mars. life on Mars. During the MEPAG
.As indicated above the Mars 2020 meeting, the question was asked,
rover will not search for extant
“What if ExoMars finds life, and
life. Some people do not under-
how will that affect Mars 2020?”
stand why we must wait seven
The answer was given by Jim
years to launch a rover similar to Green, Director of NASA Planetary
MSL with a sample return cache
Science, who stated, “It would be
that will sit on the planet for an a great problem to have.” This
unknown period of time with no
also started a discussion about
plan as to how it will be returned
whether this would be a “Sputnik
to Earth. However, there are moment” and possibly encourage
other missions planned for Mars
a new race for humans to Mars.
which may search for and possibly find current life on Mars. Two
The Icebreaker Life mission could
such missions are ExoMars and also be funded for a 2018 launch
the Icebreaker Life Mars mission.
under the Discovery/New Frontier
ExoMars is collaboration between program, a separate funding
the European Space Agency and scheme like the 2016 Insight
mission. In a paper published in
the journal Astrobiology on April
5, 2013, Dr. Chris McKay, Dr. Carol
Stoker, and other leading scientists stated, “The search for evidence of life on Mars is the primary
motivation for the exploration of
that planet. The results from previous missions and the Phoenix
mission in particular, indicate that
the ice-cemented ground in the
north polar plains is likely to be
the most recently habitable place
that is currently known on Mars.”
The goals of the Icebreaker Life
mission include:
(1) Search for specific biomolecules that would be conclusive
evidence of life.
ICY SCIENCE | WINTER 2013- 2014