A manned exobiology laboratory based on the Moon

Abstract

Establishment of an exobiology laboratory on the Moon would provide a unique opportunity for exploration of extraterrestrial materials on a long-term, ongoing basis, for elucidation of exobiological processes and chemical evolution. A major function of the lunar exobiology laboratory would be to examine samples collected from other planets (e.g., Mars) for the presence of extant or extinct life. By establishing a laboratory on the Moon, preliminary analyses could be conducted away from Earth, thus establishing that extraterrestrial materials are benign before their return to Earth for more extensive investigations. The Moon-based exobiology laboratory would have three major components for study of samples returned from other planets: (1) the search for extant life - this component would focus on the detection and identification of life forms using biological, physical, and chemical methods; (2) the search for extinct life - this component would concentrate on identification of extinct life using micropaleontological physical and chemical means; and (3) the search and evidence of chemical evolution - this component would be devoted to the detection and identification of molecules revealing prebiotic chemical evolution.