Center for Life Detection Science
The Center for Life Detection Science (CLDS) is an astrobiology research coordination network managed by NASA for the search for extraterrestrial life, and to bring concrete answers on how life began on Earth and where else in the Universe it could exist.[1][2] The center will design and incorporate a variety of future missions with the capabilities of detecting life.[2]
Abbreviation | CLDS |
---|---|
Formation | February 11, 2019 |
Type | Abiogenesis and astrobiology research |
Legal status | Active |
Headquarters | NASA's Ames Research Center |
Location |
|
Key people | Tori Hoehler |
Parent organization | NASA |
Website | astrobiology |
The search will be performed using scientific methods.[2] Several multi-disciplinary teams will develop tools and strategies tailored to detecting life in the unique conditions of other worlds. The CLDS teams will collaborate on future space missions to perform more science out of them.[3]
Overview
The center was announced on 11 February 2019, it is located at NASA's Ames Research Center, and the Principal Investigator is Tori Hoehler.[2] The center consists of a variety of multidisciplinary teams from NASA, American universities and international researchers that will coordinate through the Network for Life Detection (NFoLD).[2][4] For example, the 'Laboratory for Agnostic Biosignatures' at Georgetown University, will study and redefine a variety of potential biosignatures including hypothetical biochemistry.[5][6] The 'Oceans Across Space and Time' team at Georgia Tech,[7] will investigate the possibilities of past or present life in the oceans of the icy, outer moons of the Solar System and in the Martian subsurface ice.[2] NASA anticipates bringing in dozens more groups over the next few years.[8]
See also
- Carl Sagan Institute – Institute for the search of habitable worlds
- NASA Astrobiology Institute
- Nexus for Exoplanet System Science – Dedicated to the search for life on exoplanets
References
- NASA's New Team Is Dedicated Only To Finding Aliens, And Here's Why. Micah Ong, International Business Times. 18 February 2019.
- New NASA Team Tackles Next Challenges in Detecting Life Beyond Earth. NASA AMES. 11 February 2019.
- NASA — "New Science Teams Tackle Detecting Life on Other Worlds" . The Daily Galaxy. 12 February 2019.
- Network for Life Detection (NFoLD). Accessed on 21 February 2019.
- Laboratory for Agnostic Biosignatures. Georgetown University. Accessed on 21 February 2019.
- Johnson Leads Major Grant to Redefine Extraterrestrial Life Detection. Georgetown College. Accessed on 21 February 2019.
- Oceans Across Space and Time. Georgia Tech. Accessed on 21 February 2019.
- New NASA Partnership Will Spearhead Search for Life. Megan Bartels Space. 13 February 2019.