N98-46 Leading scientists from around the world will meet next week in a critical first step in planning NASA's emerging astrobiology program. The goal of the workshop is to provide direction and set the tone for astrobiology research and its impact on NASA's missions, both in the near term and looking ahead to the year 2020.
Astrobiology is the search for the origin, evolution and destiny of life in the universe.
It involves research to gain understanding of the origins of life in the universe, the formation and evolution of habitable worlds, life's evolution and the biogeochemical cycles in the Earth's oceans and atmosphere, and the potential for biological evolution beyond an organism's planet of origin. The roadmap team will define top-level mission and technology requirements to achieve astrobiology science goals and map these requirements onto NASA's future missions and technology development programs. Topics for discussion include life's molecular roots, the cosmic context for life, the origin of terrestrial life and the prospects for life beyond the planet of origin. Workshop attendees will include top multidisciplinary researchers from around the nation, including Nobel laureates Dr. Walter Gilbert of Harvard University and Dr. Stanley N. Cohen of the Stanford University School of Medicine. Other attendees will include National Academy of Science members and representatives from leading research institutions and universities.