Case for Astrobiology

It is imperative that the science community tell Congress that the Administration's proposed 50% reduction in funding for Astrobiology must be reversed.

When writing your Representative, Senators, and the Congressional Science Committees, it is worth noting that the scientific challenges in the Presidents Space Exploration Vision, when overlaid with the Astrobiology Roadmap, demonstrate a remarkable alignment of the cross-disciplinary field of astrobiology.  Astrobiology represents science at the intersection of many disciplines, and is the heart of future space exploration.

Please tell Congress that a 50% cut in funding for astrobiology is unacceptable.

BACKGROUND: On January 14, 2004 President George W. Bush announced A Renewed Spirit of Discovery: The President's Vision for U.S. Space Exploration.  The President's vision contained four goals and objectives, stating:

"The fundamental goal of this vision is to advance U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests through a robust space exploration program. In support of this goal, the United States will:

• Implement a sustained and affordable human and robotic program to explore the solar system and beyond;
• Extend human presence across the solar system, starting with a human return to the Moon by the year 2020, in preparation for human exploration of Mars and other destinations;
• Develop the innovative technologies, knowledge, and infrastructures both to explore and to support decisions about the destinations for human exploration; and
• Promote international and commercial participation in exploration to further U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests."

To implement this vision, the President enumerated four categories of activity, the third of which (Space Exploration Beyond Low Earth Orbit) contained a suite of curiosity-driven scientific challenges:

"Mars and Other Destinations

• Conduct robotic exploration of Mars to search for evidence of life, to understand the history of the solar system, and to prepare for future human exploration;
• Conduct robotic exploration across the solar system for scientific purposes and to support human exploration. In particular, explore Jupiter's moons, asteroids and other bodies to search for evidence of life, to understand the history of the solar system, and to search for resources;
• Conduct advanced telescope searches for Earth-like planets and habitable environments around other stars;
• Develop and demonstrate power generation, propulsion, life support, and other key capabilities required to support more distant, more capable, and/or longer duration human and robotic exploration of Mars and other destinations; and
• Conduct human expeditions to Mars after acquiring adequate knowledge about the planet using robotic missions and after successfully demonstrating sustained human exploration missions to the Moon."

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FROM AAS: The American Astronomical Society addressed the issue of science being key to the vision last July 15th, while the FY '07 budget was being formulated.   You may find the following text useful when writing to Congress:

"AMERICAN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY STATEMENT ON THE VISION FOR SPACE EXPLORATION

SUMMARY
The American Astronomical Society urges that a vigorous, focused program of scientific research form the core of the implementation of the Vision for Space Exploration. The President's initiative for the civilian space program places emphasis on exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond by humans and robots. Science is exploration, whether it involves directly sampling the surface of Mars, or gathering in the faint and ancient light of distant galaxies. Exploration without science is tourism.

The adventure of exploration will capture the hearts of Americans: but the scientific discoveries that come from that exploration will capture their minds. Scientific discoveries from NASA's new space program will provide its most meaningful legacy.  We are learning where we are, where we came from, and we have discovered surprising new features of the way the world works. Based on NASA's leadership in space science, we see the Earth as one planet among many we can now study, we see the origin of chemical and biological matter as woven into the history of cosmic change, and we have learned the surprising fact that, on the largest scales, our Universe is not organized by the material we can see, but is made mostly of dark matter and governed by the properties of a mysterious dark energy we have only recently discovered. We have much to explore.  The Universe holds a great deal of "beyond."

Science is essential to implement the Vision for Space Exploration. New technologies to implement the Vision for Space Exploration will depend on scientific advances, and, in turn, will afford new opportunities for scientific work. These notions are laid out in the June 2004 report of the President's Commission on Implementation of United States Exploration Policy and National Research Council's assessment: Science in NASA's Vision for Space Exploration. As we learn how to explore, we will create opportunities for better scientific research, for more stimulating science education, and we will contribute toward our nation's ability to compete in a world based on technology.

We are all explorers whenever we encounter something new. By motivating Exploration for scientific purposes, the Vision for Space Exploration will benefit science and society. The great successes of space science in the past decades arise from a strong partnership between NASA and the scientific community. The astronomical community, through its decadal surveys and other consultations has set priorities, and worked with NASA to make these dreams into reality. The astronomical community embraces the opportunity to continue to work with NASA to implement the Vision for Space Exploration on a sound scientific basis with broad input from the scientific community."