How Will We Find Evidence of Life on Mars?

The concept of extra-terrestrial beings never fails to fascinate. New discoveries win guaranteed headlines, and create a resounding buzz within the scientific community, as well as the ‘space buff’ demographic as a whole.  

Recently, the space scientists behind the Exomars 2016 mission have revealed new insight into their latest project, reporting that the “After the critical first few days in space, TGO is performing flawlessly.” The comment comes from European Space Operations Center’s ExoMars Flight Director Michel Denis, and refers to the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) that will carry the probe to the outskirts of the Red Planet’s atmosphere.  

Mars - Take 2

After the high profile Beagle 2 programme failed to launch in 2003, the team is back with a new UK based mission on-track to find life on Mars. Needless to say, its performance is under constant surveillance. “Over the next two weeks we will continue to check and commission its systems, including the power, communications, startrackers, and guidance and navigation system,” says Denis.

“We’ve been switching on and testing all the systems, including redundant components in certain areas, the antenna, the attitude control system. We have done a test maneuver, which was very accurate. It looks good for the commissioning, so far, from the small fraction of it.”

How to land a probe: 101

Together with the European Space Agency and Russian space agency Roscosmos, the UK launched the TGO and Schiaparelli landing module, bound for the Red Planet. After launching from Kazakhstan they’ll continue to travel through space, and reach Mars in October 2016. Three days before reaching the planet’s atmosphere Schiaparelli will be released and shot towards Mars using a rocket.

At a speeds of 12,000km/h it will fly towards the planet, using a parachute and thruster brake system to allow it to safely land. Once on the surface it will carry out a series of pre-programmed tests designed to help scientists better understand the complexities of the Red Planet. Tests include tracing the origins of key gasses such as methane, which could indicate the potential for microbial life, as well as geologic activity involving liquid water. As a geologically-active planet, delving into the gas make-up of Mars is an important part of determining its capacity to host living organisms.

Ongoing efforts to pinpoint life

Research will commence in 2017, with the ESA estimating that tests will continue to run for five years. Exomars 2018 will strengthen the mission’s presence, delivering a European rover capable of drilling into the planet’s surface to collect samples.

Detecting gaseous substances is an integral part of contemporary science, both in space and on planet Earth. For more insight into ground-breaking laboratory developments, ‘Trace Level VOC Analysis in Different Sample Matrices’ looks at the latest VSP4000 (Versatile Sample Preparator) purge and trap system.

Image via Flickr Creative Commons. Photo credits: Ministerio de Defensa