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Astrobiological instrumentation for Mars – the only way is down

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 May 2003

A. Ellery ,
C. Kolb ,
H. Lammer ,
J. Parnell ,
H. Edwards ,
L. Richter ,
M. Patel ,
J. Romstedt ,
D. Dickensheets  and
A. Steele
...Show all authors
A. Ellery
Affiliation:
School of Engineering, Kingston University, London, UK e-mail: [email protected]
C. Kolb
Affiliation:
Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria e-mail: [email protected], [email protected]
H. Lammer
Affiliation:
Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria e-mail: [email protected], [email protected]
J. Parnell
Affiliation:
Department of Geology & Petroleum Geology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK e-mail: [email protected]
H. Edwards
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical & Forensic Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK e-mail: [email protected]
L. Richter
Affiliation:
DLR, Cologne, Germany e-mail: [email protected]
M. Patel
Affiliation:
Planetary & Space Sciences Research Institute, Open University, Milton Keynes, UK e-mail: [email protected]
J. Romstedt
Affiliation:
ESA-ESTEC, Noordwijk, Holland e-mail: [email protected]
D. Dickensheets
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA e-mail: [email protected]
A. Steele
Affiliation:
Carnegie Institute of Washington, Geophysical Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA e-mail: [email protected]
C. Cockell
Affiliation:
British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

In this paper, in this edition of the Journal commemorating the life and work of David Wynn-Williams, we consider approaches to the astrobiological investigation of Mars. We provide a brief account of the scientific rationale behind the approach presented here. In particular, we outline the capabilities of the Raman spectrometer for the detection of biomarkers. David Wynn-Williams was an active champion of this instrument who was keen to field-qualify a version in Antarctica with a view to flying a Raman instrument onboard a Mars-bound space mission. We examine a scenario for the deployment of such an instrument in conjunction with other instrumentation and argue that subsurface deployment of scientific instruments is essential if we are to succeed in detecting any evidence that may exist for former life on Mars. We outline a mission scenario – Vanguard – which represents a novel but low-risk, low-cost approach to Mars exploration that was conceived and developed jointly by one of the authors (Ellery) and the late David Wynn-Williams.

Keywords

astrobiologyMarsmoleoxidantRamanrover
Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Astrobiology , Volume 1 , Issue 4 , October 2002 , pp. 365 - 380
Copyright
© 2003 Cambridge University Press

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