What NASA's 10-Year Mission Is Learning About One of Science Fiction's Favorite: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life

For decades, science fiction enthusiasts have been captivated by the idea of finding extraterrestrial life beyond our planet. This fascination has not only fueled the imagination of writers, filmmakers, and artists but has also driven real-world scientific exploration. While the search for intelligent beings in outer space remains elusive, NASA's ongoing 10-year mission has been shedding light on the possibility of microbial life on other celestial bodies within our solar system and beyond.

The Brave New Worlds

NASA's mission, aptly named "Brave New Worlds," aims to investigate the habitability of distant exoplanets, moons, and even asteroids. By employing advanced telescopes, orbital missions, and ground-based research, scientists at NASA are collecting invaluable data about the conditions necessary for life as we know it.

One of the most groundbreaking findings of the mission is the confirmation of water existence on several celestial bodies. From the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn to Mars' history of liquid water, these discoveries have opened up new possibilities for life beyond Earth. The presence of water, a crucial ingredient for life as we understand it, suggests that the development of microbial organisms in these environments is not only plausible but perhaps even probable.

Dawn Comes to the Asteroid Belt: What NASA’s 10-Year Mission is Learning About One of Science Fiction’s Favorite Realms

by Richard A. Lovett (Kindle Edition)

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1159 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	25 pages

FREE

Liquid Oceans Under the Ice

Moons like Europa and Enceladus have long been of interest to scientists due to their subsurface liquid oceans. These oceans are a result of tidal forces exerted by their parent planets, generating heat and melting the icy crust, creating oases for microbial life. NASA's observations using the Hubble Space Telescope and the Cassini spacecraft have provided strong evidence of the existence of these oceans, including erupting plumes of water vapor spewing into space.

The data collected from these missions has forced scientists to rethink their understanding of habitable zones. Although life on these moons would likely differ significantly from what we are familiar with on Earth, the discovery emphasizes that life can potentially thrive in some of the harshest and most extreme environments in our solar system.

Mars: The Red Planet with Water-Stained History

While Mars is an inhospitable desert today, it hasn't always been that way. NASA's rovers, such as Curiosity and Perseverance, have revealed evidence of a watery past. The images captured by these rovers showcase a planet once teeming with rivers, lakes, and even an ancient ocean.

The discovery of a liquid water lake beneath the Martian South Pole in 2018 added another layer to the understanding of Mars' history and its potential for supporting life. While it remains unknown whether life exists or existed on mars, these findings provide a promising basis for future exploration.

Expanding the Search Beyond Our Solar System

NASA's mission does not limit the search for extraterrestrial life to our solar system alone. Through the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), NASA has been identifying and characterizing exoplanets, planets orbiting distant stars outside of our solar system.

TESS has made groundbreaking discoveries, such as the confirmation of potentially habitable exoplanets in the habitable zone of their host stars. The presence of these exoplanets, located a considerable distance from Earth, showcases the diversity and prevalence of worlds that could support the development of life.

While NASA's 10-year mission may not have definitively answered the question of whether extraterrestrial intelligent life exists, it has provided substantial evidence for the likelihood of microbial life elsewhere in our solar system and beyond. The discovery of water on several celestial bodies, the subsurface oceans on moons, the watery history of Mars, and the prevalence of exoplanets in habitable zones all contribute to the growing understanding that we may not be alone in the universe.

Dawn Comes to the Asteroid Belt: What NASA’s 10-Year Mission is Learning About One of Science Fiction’s Favorite Realms

by Richard A. Lovett (Kindle Edition)

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1159 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	25 pages

FREE

This easy-to-read ebook, by award-winning science and science-fiction author Richard A. Lovett, looks at what NASA's Dawn spacecraft has learned about the two of the Asteroid Belt's three largest worlds, Ceres and Vesta. Written to fans of both science fiction and science, it examines both the science of planetary exploration, and how storytellers might use that information for the next generation of mind-bending adventures.