Abstract

NAVARRO-GONZALEZ, Rafael. Search of life on Mars. TIP [online]. 2005, vol.8, n.2, pp.82-90. ISSN 1405-888X.

Undoubtedly the NASA Viking Project has been the most outstanding astrobiological mission conducted so far. This mission consisted of three biological experiments specially designed for the search of life indicators in the upper layers of the Martian soil. The three experiments yielded positive results, however the analysis of organic matter in the Martian soil showed the lack of organic carbon. In order to prepare future missions, it is important to test the instruments beforehand. This could be done in terrestrial places which are similar to Mars. One of such places is the Atacama desert in northern Chile. This desert is one of the most arid places on Earth. Chemical and microbiological studies of the soil in this area suggest that the driest core of the desert is similar to Mars because there is no macroscopic or microscopic life, the amounts of organic matter are low and the soils are very reactive. In collaboration with French and American scientists, we are developing a NASA robotic mission for the search of extinct or extant life in Mars. We are working in the Atacama desert in Chile as the setting to prepare the space mission.

Keywords : Terrestrial environments analogs of Mars; Atacama Desert; Mars; Viking Mission; Extraterrestrial life.