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Description: Astrobiology and astrochemistry research provide a wealth of data about our Universe, while advances in satellite buses ensure scientists keep exploring our solar system and more. Learn what these disciplines study and why they’re important.
Today, space tech is developing with rocket speed (pun intended), and yet, most advances we observe now have immediate market applications, like access to high-speed internet. This is not surprising, of course — after all, one of the primary factors driving space science further is the democratization and commercialization of space tech. In other words, as private companies got the upper hand in space research, the development tempo instantly increased, and multiple commercial applications of space tech are the logical side effect of this.
However, not all developments in the private space sector are about selling more space-based services to users worldwide. Many advances, especially in satellite buses such as these https://dragonflyaerospace.com/satellite-buses/, serve to further space science and our understanding of the Universe we live in. The two main disciplines that study the origin and evolution of life in space are astrochemistry and astrobiology.
So, what exactly do these two study, and have we managed to discover anything so far? Below, we discuss the basics behind astrobiology and astrochemistry research, explaining how new developments in satellite buses help advance science, particularly astrobiology, further.
What research does astrochemistry focus on?
Astrochemistry studies the chemical reactions occurring in space, which also implies studying the chemical compositions of other planets. This is a vast field of research, and we bet you have heard about multiple astrochemistry missions without realizing they had to do with astrochemistry. Voyager probes are the most obvious example — one can say that’s when it all began because these two iconic probes were the first spacecraft to study the outer solar system, and they have provided a wealth of information about the chemical compositions of other planets.
Another notable example, NASA’s Stardust, was the first mission to collect dust samples on a comet and return those samples to Earth — before that, scientists had to rely on images and other remote data to form conclusions. And Europa Clipper is already on its way to Jupiter’s moon to collect new data.
Now, a few words on satellite buses. A bus is essentially a platform that holds all spacecraft equipment together — its power, communication, thermal controls, and other mechanisms necessary for a spacecraft to operate in space. It also hosts payload — that is, sensors, cameras, and other tech necessary to complete spacecraft goals. Obviously, without top-notch satellite buses for astrochemistry, NASA would not be able to carry out such complex missions.
What type of research does astrobiology involve?
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Astrobiology is an even more exciting field because it looks for signs of life outside our planet. But do not jump to conclusions too quickly — astrobiology searches for any kind or form of life, not necessarily little green men or technologically advanced civilizations. Astrobiology also considers cosmic chemistry because the presence of liquid water, temperature ranges, and other ‘chemical’ factors could be important signs that the planet (or another celestial body) could potentially sustain life.
At this point, you may argue that liquid water and temperature ranges can sustain life as we know it, so the factors may not be sufficient to search for life in the deep cosmos. That is true, which is why astrobiology also studies other biosignatures, especially gaseous emissions in imbalance, searches for microscopic evidence of fossils, and considers a whole range of other factors that could potentially indicate that we are (or were) not alone. Today’s satellite buses for astrobiology have grown highly advanced, which allows scientists to accomplish all that and more — but the search still continues.
Does NASA have astrobiology?
Of course! NASA is one of the leading contributors to astrobiology — the agency was one of the first entities to launch a dedicated Astrobiology Institute in 1998. And even though it was dissolved in 2018, NASA continues with astrobiology missions, just under slightly different management. Once again, you could have heard about NASA’s several astrobiology initiatives without realizing they had to do with astrobiology.
One of the first examples dates back to the 1970s when a series of Viking Missions explored Mars and tried to find signs of biological activity there. Or, you might recall the Cassini-Huygens probe — it also served an astrobiology mission when searching for signs of life on Saturn’s moons. The Kepler telescope, which already found thousands of exoplanets, also serves the purpose of astrobiology. But these examples merely scratch the surface.
Takeaway: does astrobiology have a future?
Now, you may wonder — if we’ve been searching for life for so long and have not found anything definitive yet, does astrobiology even have a future? Or could NASA discontinuing its Astrobiology Institute mean that our search for extraterrestrial life will soon stop? Well, our search for life is not going to stop anytime soon, and astrobiology certainly has a future — if only because it is an interdisciplinary science that analyzes a wealth of data while searching for life.
So, even if we don’t find any little green men or their fossilized remains, we will still gain a better understanding of the surrounding universe. That is why astrobiology is a promising field worth pursuing!