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Moreno-Paz M, dos Santos Severino RS, Sánchez-García L, Manchado JM, García-Villadangos M, Aguirre J, Fernández-Martínez MA, Carrizo D, Kobayashi L, Dave A, Warren-Rhodes K, Davila A, Stoker CR, Glass B, Parro V. Life Detection and Microbial Biomarker Profiling with Signs of Life Detector-Life Detector Chip During a Mars Drilling Simulation Campaign in the Hyperarid Core of the Atacama Desert. Astrobiology 2023; 23:1259-1283. [PMID: 37930382 PMCID: PMC10825288 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The low organic matter content in the hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert, together with abrupt temperature shifts and high ultraviolet radiation at its surface, makes this region one of the best terrestrial analogs of Mars and one of the best scenarios for testing instrumentation devoted to in situ planetary exploration. We have operated remotely and autonomously the SOLID-LDChip (Signs of Life Detector-Life Detector Chip), an antibody microarray-based sensor instrument, as part of a rover payload during the 2019 NASA Atacama Rover Astrobiology Drilling Studies (ARADS) Mars drilling simulation campaign. A robotic arm collected drilled cuttings down to 80 cm depth and loaded SOLID to process and assay them with LDChip for searching for molecular biomarkers. A remote science team received and analyzed telemetry data and LDChip results. The data revealed the presence of microbial markers from Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Cyanobacteria to be relatively more abundant in the middle layer (40-50 cm). In addition, the detection of several proteins from nitrogen metabolism indicates a pivotal role in the system. These findings were corroborated and complemented on "returned samples" to the lab by a comprehensive analysis that included DNA sequencing, metaproteomics, and a metabolic reconstruction of the sampled area. Altogether, the results describe a relatively complex microbial community with members capable of nitrogen fixation and denitrification, sulfur oxidation and reduction, or triggering oxidative stress responses, among other traits. This remote operation demonstrated the high maturity of SOLID-LDChip as a powerful tool for remote in situ life detection for future missions in the Solar System.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes Moreno-Paz
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), INTA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rita Sofia dos Santos Severino
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), INTA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Departament of Física y Matemáticas y de Automática, University of Alcalá de Henares (UAH), Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Sánchez-García
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), INTA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Manuel Manchado
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), INTA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Jacobo Aguirre
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), INTA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Angel Fernández-Martínez
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), INTA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Québec, Canada
| | - Daniel Carrizo
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), INTA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Linda Kobayashi
- Space Science Division and Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Arwen Dave
- Space Science Division and Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Kim Warren-Rhodes
- Space Science Division and Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Carl Sagan Center, SETI Institute, Mountain View, California, USA
| | - Alfonso Davila
- Space Science Division and Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Carol R. Stoker
- Space Science Division and Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Brian Glass
- Space Science Division and Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Víctor Parro
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), INTA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
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2
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Rull F, Veneranda M, Manrique-Martinez JA, Sanz-Arranz A, Saiz J, Medina J, Moral A, Perez C, Seoane L, Lalla E, Charro E, Lopez JM, Nieto LM, Lopez-Reyes G. Spectroscopic study of terrestrial analogues to support rover missions to Mars - A Raman-centred review. Anal Chim Acta 2022; 1209:339003. [PMID: 35569840 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2021.339003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The 2020s could be called, with little doubt, the "Mars decade". No other period in space exploration history has experienced such interest in placing orbiters, rovers and landers on the Red Planet. In 2021 alone, the Emirates' first Mars Mission (the Hope orbiter), the Chinese Tianwen-1 mission (orbiter, lander and rover), and NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover reached Mars. The ExoMars mission Rosalind Franklin rover is scheduled for launch in 2022. Beyond that, several other missions are proposed or under development. Among these, MMX to Phobos and the very important Mars Sample Return can be cited. One of the key mission objectives of the Mars 2020 and ExoMars 2022 missions is the detection of traces of potential past or present life. This detection relies to a great extent on the analytical results provided by complementary spectroscopic techniques. The development of these novel instruments has been carried out in step with the analytical study of terrestrial analogue sites and materials, which serve to test the scientific capabilities of spectroscopic prototypes while providing crucial information to better understand the geological processes that could have occurred on Mars. Being directly involved in the development of three of the first Raman spectrometers to be validated for space exploration missions (Mars 2020/SuperCam, ExoMars/RLS and RAX/MMX), the present review summarizes some of the most relevant spectroscopy-based analyses of terrestrial analogues carried out over the past two decades. Therefore, the present work describes the analytical results gathered from the study of some of the most distinctive terrestrial analogues of Martian geological contexts, as well as the lessons learned mainly from ExoMars mission simulations conducted at representative analogue sites. Learning from the experience gained in the described studies, a general overview of the scientific outcome expected from the spectroscopic system developed for current and forthcoming planetary missions is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Rull
- University of Valladolid, Plaza de Santa Cruz 8, 47002, Valladolid, Spain.
| | - Marco Veneranda
- University of Valladolid, Plaza de Santa Cruz 8, 47002, Valladolid, Spain
| | | | | | - Jesus Saiz
- University of Valladolid, Plaza de Santa Cruz 8, 47002, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Jesús Medina
- University of Valladolid, Plaza de Santa Cruz 8, 47002, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Andoni Moral
- National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain
| | - Carlos Perez
- National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain
| | - Laura Seoane
- National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain
| | - Emmanuel Lalla
- York University, Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science, Toronto, Canada
| | - Elena Charro
- University of Valladolid, Plaza de Santa Cruz 8, 47002, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Jose Manuel Lopez
- University of Valladolid, Plaza de Santa Cruz 8, 47002, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Luis Miguel Nieto
- University of Valladolid, Plaza de Santa Cruz 8, 47002, Valladolid, Spain
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3
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Lalla EA, Konstantinidis M, Veneranda M, Daly MG, Manrique JA, Lymer EA, Freemantle J, Cloutis EA, Stromberg JM, Shkolyar S, Caudill C, Applin D, Vago JL, Rull F, Lopez-Reyes G. Raman Characterization of the CanMars Rover Field Campaign Samples Using the Raman Laser Spectrometer ExoMars Simulator: Implications for Mars and Planetary Exploration. Astrobiology 2022; 22:416-438. [PMID: 35041521 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The Mars 2020 Perseverance rover landed on February 18, 2021, and has started ground operations. The ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover will touch down on June 10, 2023. Perseverance will be the first-ever Mars sample caching mission-a first step in sample return to Earth. SuperCam and Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals (SHERLOC) on Perseverance, and Raman Laser Spectrometer (RLS) on Rosalind Franklin, will comprise the first ever in situ planetary mission Raman spectroscopy instruments to identify rocks, minerals, and potential organic biosignatures on Mars' surface. There are many challenges associated when using Raman instruments and the optimization and quantitative analysis of resulting data. To understand how best to overcome them, we performed a comprehensive Raman analysis campaign on CanMars, a Mars sample caching rover analog mission undertaken in Hanksville, Utah, USA, in 2016. The Hanksville region presents many similarities to Oxia Planum's past habitable conditions, including liquid water, flocculent, and elemental compounds (such as clays), catalysts, substrates, and energy/food sources for life. We sampled and conducted a complete band analysis of Raman spectra as mission validation analysis with the RLS ExoMars Simulator or RLS Sim, a breadboard setup representative of the ExoMars RLS instrument. RLS Sim emulates the operational behavior of RLS on the Rosalind Franklin rover. Given the high fidelity of the Mars analog site and the RLS Sim, the results presented here may provide important information useful for guiding in situ analysis and sample triage for caching relevant for the Perseverance and Rosalind Franklin missions. By using the RLS Sim on CanMars samples, our measurements detected oxides, sulfates, nitrates, carbonates, feldspars, and carotenoids, many with a higher degree of sensitivity than past results. Future work with the RLS Sim will aim to continue developing and improving the capability of the RLS system in the future ExoMars mission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel A Lalla
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Menelaos Konstantinidis
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, Canada
- Division of Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
| | - Marco Veneranda
- Unidad Asociada Universidad de Valladolid-CSIC-CAB, Boecillo, Spain
| | - Michael G Daly
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Elizabeth A Lymer
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - James Freemantle
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - Edward A Cloutis
- Department of Geography, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Jessica M Stromberg
- Department of Geography, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Canada
- CSIRO Mineral Resources, Kensington, Australia
| | - Svetlana Shkolyar
- Universities Space Research Association, Columbia, Maryland, USA
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
- Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Christy Caudill
- Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration/Department of Earth Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Daniel Applin
- Department of Geography, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Jorge L Vago
- European Space Agency, ESA/ESTEC (SCI-S), Noordwijk, The Netherlands
| | - Fernando Rull
- Unidad Asociada Universidad de Valladolid-CSIC-CAB, Boecillo, Spain
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4
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Maki JN, Gruel D, McKinney C, Ravine MA, Morales M, Lee D, Willson R, Copley-Woods D, Valvo M, Goodsall T, McGuire J, Sellar RG, Schaffner JA, Caplinger MA, Shamah JM, Johnson AE, Ansari H, Singh K, Litwin T, Deen R, Culver A, Ruoff N, Petrizzo D, Kessler D, Basset C, Estlin T, Alibay F, Nelessen A, Algermissen S. The Mars 2020 Engineering Cameras and Microphone on the Perseverance Rover: A Next-Generation Imaging System for Mars Exploration. Space Sci Rev 2020; 216:137. [PMID: 33268910 PMCID: PMC7686239 DOI: 10.1007/s11214-020-00765-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The Mars 2020 Perseverance rover is equipped with a next-generation engineering camera imaging system that represents an upgrade over previous Mars rover missions. These upgrades will improve the operational capabilities of the rover with an emphasis on drive planning, robotic arm operation, instrument operations, sample caching activities, and documentation of key events during entry, descent, and landing (EDL). There are a total of 16 cameras in the Perseverance engineering imaging system, including 9 cameras for surface operations and 7 cameras for EDL documentation. There are 3 types of cameras designed for surface operations: Navigation cameras (Navcams, quantity 2), Hazard Avoidance Cameras (Hazcams, quantity 6), and Cachecam (quantity 1). The Navcams will acquire color stereo images of the surface with a 96 ∘ × 73 ∘ field of view at 0.33 mrad/pixel. The Hazcams will acquire color stereo images of the surface with a 136 ∘ × 102 ∘ at 0.46 mrad/pixel. The Cachecam, a new camera type, will acquire images of Martian material inside the sample tubes during caching operations at a spatial scale of 12.5 microns/pixel. There are 5 types of EDL documentation cameras: The Parachute Uplook Cameras (PUCs, quantity 3), the Descent stage Downlook Camera (DDC, quantity 1), the Rover Uplook Camera (RUC, quantity 1), the Rover Descent Camera (RDC, quantity 1), and the Lander Vision System (LVS) Camera (LCAM, quantity 1). The PUCs are mounted on the parachute support structure and will acquire video of the parachute deployment event as part of a system to characterize parachute performance. The DDC is attached to the descent stage and pointed downward, it will characterize vehicle dynamics by capturing video of the rover as it descends from the skycrane. The rover-mounted RUC, attached to the rover and looking upward, will capture similar video of the skycrane from the vantage point of the rover and will also acquire video of the descent stage flyaway event. The RDC, attached to the rover and looking downward, will document plume dynamics by imaging the Martian surface before, during, and after rover touchdown. The LCAM, mounted to the bottom of the rover chassis and pointed downward, will acquire 90 ∘ × 90 ∘ FOV images during the parachute descent phase of EDL as input to an onboard map localization by the Lander Vision System (LVS). The rover also carries a microphone, mounted externally on the rover chassis, to capture acoustic signatures during and after EDL. The Perseverance rover launched from Earth on July 30th, 2020, and touchdown on Mars is scheduled for February 18th, 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. N. Maki
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - D. Gruel
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - C. McKinney
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | | | - M. Morales
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - D. Lee
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - R. Willson
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - D. Copley-Woods
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - M. Valvo
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - T. Goodsall
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - J. McGuire
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - R. G. Sellar
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | | | | | | | - A. E. Johnson
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - H. Ansari
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - K. Singh
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - T. Litwin
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - R. Deen
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - A. Culver
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - N. Ruoff
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - D. Petrizzo
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - D. Kessler
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - C. Basset
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - T. Estlin
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - F. Alibay
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - A. Nelessen
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - S. Algermissen
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
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5
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Gruber S, Groemer G, Paternostro S, Larose TL. AMADEE-18 and the Analog Mission Performance Metrics Analysis: A Benchmarking Tool for Mission Planning and Evaluation. Astrobiology 2020; 20:1295-1302. [PMID: 32181673 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Analog research of human or combined human and robotic missions is an established tool to explore the workflows, instruments, risks, and challenges of future planetary surface missions in a representative terrestrial environment. Analog missions that emulate selected aspects of such expeditions have risen in number, expanded their range of disciplines covered, and seen a significant increase in their operational and programmatic impact on mission planning. We propose a method to compare analog missions across agencies, disciplines, and complexities/fidelities to improve scientific output and mission safety and maximize effectiveness and efficiency. This algorithm measures mission performance, provides a tool for an objective postmission evaluation, and catalyzes programmatic progress. It does not evaluate individual sites or instruments but focuses at mission level. By applying the algorithm to several missions, we compare the missions' performance for benchmarking purposes. Methodically, a combination of objective data sets and questionnaires is used to evaluate three areas: two sections of closed and quantitative questions and a third section dedicated to the level or representativeness of the test site. By using a weighted metric, the complexity and fidelity of a mission are compared with reference missions, which yield strengths and weaknesses in mission planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Gruber
- Spacesuit Laboratory, Austrian Space Forum, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Gernot Groemer
- Spacesuit Laboratory, Austrian Space Forum, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Simone Paternostro
- Spacesuit Laboratory, Austrian Space Forum, Innsbruck, Austria
- Human Spaceflight, Space Application Services, Zaventem, Belgium
| | - Tricia L Larose
- Department of Human Performance and Space, International Space University, Strasbourg, France
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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Lalla EA, Cote K, Hickson D, Garnitschnig S, Konstantinidis M, Such P, Czakler C, Schroder C, Frigeri A, Ercoli M, Losiak A, Gruber S, Groemer G. Laboratory Analysis of Returned Samples from the AMADEE-18 Mars Analog Mission. Astrobiology 2020; 20:1303-1320. [PMID: 33179966 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Between February 1 and 28, 2018, the Austrian Space Forum, in cooperation with the Oman Astronomical Society and research teams from 25 nations, conducted the AMADEE-18 mission, a human-robotic Mars expedition simulation in the Dhofar region in the Sultanate of Oman. As a part of the AMADEE-18 simulated Mars human exploration mission, the Remote Science Support team performed analyses of the Dhofar area (Oman) in an effort to characterize the region as a potential Mars analog site. The main motivation of this research was to study and register selected samples collected by analog astronauts during the AMADEE-18 mission with laboratory analytical methods and techniques comparable with those that are likely to be used on Mars in the future. The 25 samples representing unconsolidated sediments obtained during the simulated mission were studied by using optical microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, and laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. The principal results show the existence of minerals and alteration processes related to volcanism, hydrothermalism, and weathering. The analogy between the Dhofar region and the Eridana Basin region of Mars is clearly noticeable, particularly as an analog for secondary minerals formed in a hydrothermal seafloor volcanic-sedimentary environment. The synergy between the techniques used in the present work provides a solid basis for the geochemical analyses and organic detection in the context of future human-robotic Mars expeditions. AMADEE-18 has been a prime test bed for geoscientific workflows with astrobiological relevance and has provided valuable insights for future space missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Alexis Lalla
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science (CRESS), York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Austrian Space Forum, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Kristen Cote
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science (CRESS), York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dylan Hickson
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science (CRESS), York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Menelaos Konstantinidis
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science (CRESS), York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pamela Such
- Centre for Research in Earth and Space Science (CRESS), York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Christian Schroder
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Alessadro Frigeri
- National Institute of Astrophysics, Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology IAPS, Rome, Italy
| | - Maurizio Ercoli
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Anna Losiak
- Austrian Space Forum, Innsbruck, Austria
- Institute of Geological Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
- WildFire LabHatherly Laboratories, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
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Sánchez-García L, Fernández-Martínez MA, Moreno-Paz M, Carrizo D, García-Villadangos M, Manchado JM, Stoker CR, Glass B, Parro V. Simulating Mars Drilling Mission for Searching for Life: Ground-Truthing Lipids and Other Complex Microbial Biomarkers in the Iron-Sulfur Rich Río Tinto Analog. Astrobiology 2020; 20:1029-1047. [PMID: 31916858 PMCID: PMC7499885 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Sulfate and iron oxide deposits in Río Tinto (Southwestern Spain) are a terrestrial analog of early martian hematite-rich regions. Understanding the distribution and drivers of microbial life in iron-rich environments can give critical clues on how to search for biosignatures on Mars. We simulated a robotic drilling mission searching for signs of life in the martian subsurface, by using a 1m-class planetary prototype drill mounted on a full-scale mockup of NASA's Phoenix and InSight lander platforms. We demonstrated fully automated and aseptic drilling on iron and sulfur rich sediments at the Río Tinto riverbanks, and sample transfer and delivery to sterile containers and analytical instruments. As a ground-truth study, samples were analyzed in the field with the life detector chip immunoassay for searching microbial markers, and then in the laboratory with X-ray diffraction to determine mineralogy, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for lipid composition, isotope-ratio mass spectrometry for isotopic ratios, and 16S/18S rRNA genes sequencing for biodiversity. A ubiquitous presence of microbial biomarkers distributed along the 1m-depth subsurface was influenced by the local mineralogy and geochemistry. The spatial heterogeneity of abiotic variables at local scale highlights the importance of considering drill replicates in future martian drilling missions. The multi-analytical approach provided proof of concept that molecular biomarkers varying in compositional nature, preservation potential, and taxonomic specificity can be recovered from shallow drilling on iron-rich Mars analogues by using an automated life-detection lander prototype, such as the one proposed for NASA's IceBreaker mission proposal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Sánchez-García
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Madrid, Spain
- Address correspondence to: Laura Sánchez-García, Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Carretera de Ajalvir km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid 28850, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Brian Glass
- NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
| | - Victor Parro
- Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Madrid, Spain
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Riccobono D, Genta G, Moreland S, Backes P. A multidisciplinary design tool for robotic systems involved in sampling operations on planetary bodies. CEAS Space J 2020; 13:155-174. [PMID: 34804247 PMCID: PMC8591676 DOI: 10.1007/s12567-020-00330-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The analysis of robotic systems (e.g. landers and rovers) involved in sampling operations on planetary bodies is crucial to ensure mission success, since those operations generate forces that could affect the stability of the robotic system. This paper presents MISTRAL (MultIdisciplinary deSign Tool for Robotic sAmpLing), a novel tool conceived for trade space exploration during early conceptual and preliminary design phases, where a rapid and broad evaluation is required for a very high number of configurations and boundary conditions. The tool rapidly determines the preliminary design envelope of a sampling apparatus to guarantee the stability condition of the whole robotic system. The tool implements a three-dimensional analytical model capable to reproduce several scenarios, being able to accept various input parameters, including the physical and geometrical characteristics of the robotic system, the properties related to the environment and the characteristics related to the sampling system. This feature can be exploited to infer multidisciplinary high-level requirements concerning several other elements of the investigated system, such as robotic arms and footpads. The presented research focuses on the application of MISTRAL to landers. The structure of the tool and the analysis model are presented. Results from the application of the tool to real mission data from NASA's Phoenix Mars lander are included. Moreover, the tool was adopted for the definition of the high-level requirements of the lander for a potential future mission to the surface of Saturn's moon Enceladus, currently under investigation at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This case study was included to demonstrate the tool's capabilities. MISTRAL represents a comprehensive, versatile, and powerful tool providing guidelines for cognizant decisions in the early and most crucial stages of the design of robotic systems involved in sampling operations on planetary bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Riccobono
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMEAS), Politecnico Di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Giancarlo Genta
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMEAS), Politecnico Di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Turin, Italy
| | - Scott Moreland
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
| | - Paul Backes
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
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Kurosawa K, Genda H, Hyodo R, Yamagishi A, Mikouchi T, Niihara T, Matsuyama S, Fujita K. Assessment of the probability of microbial contamination for sample return from Martian moons II: The fate of microbes on Martian moons. Life Sci Space Res (Amst) 2019; 23:85-100. [PMID: 31791609 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2019.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
This paper presents a case study of microbe transportation in the Mars-satellites system. We examined the spatial distribution of potential impact-transported microbes on the Martian moons using impact physics by following a companion study (Fujita et al., in this issue). We used sterilization data from the precede studies (Patel et al., 2018; Summers, 2017). We considered that the microbes came mainly from the Zunil crater on Mars, which was formed during 1.0-0.1 Ma. We found that 70-80% of the microbes are likely to be dispersed all over the moon surface and are rapidly sterilized due to solar and galactic cosmic radiation except for those microbes within a thick ejecta deposit produced by natural meteoroids. The other 20-30% might be shielded from radiation by thick regolith layers that formed at collapsed layers in craters produced by Mars rock impacts. The total number of potentially surviving microbes at the thick ejecta deposits is estimated to be 3-4 orders of magnitude lower than at the Mars rock craters. The microbe concentration is irregular in the horizontal direction due to Mars rock bombardment and is largely depth-dependent due to the radiation sterilization. The surviving fraction of transported microbes would be only ∼1 ppm on Phobos and ∼100 ppm on Deimos, suggesting that the transport processes and radiation severely affect microbe survival. The microbe sampling probability from the Martian moons was also investigatesd. We suggest that sample return missions from the Martian moons are classified into Unrestricted Earth-Return missions for 30 g samples and 10 cm depth sampling, even in our conservative scenario. We also conducted a full statistical analysis pertaining to sampling the regolith of Phobos to include the effects of uncertainties in input parameters on the sampling probability. The most likely probability of microbial contamination for return samples is estimated to be two orders of magnitude lower than the 10-6 criterion defined by the planetary protection policy of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosuke Kurosawa
- Planetary Exploration Research Center, Chiba Institute of Technology, 2-17-1, Narashino, Tsudanuma, Chiba 275-0016, Japan.
| | - Hidenori Genda
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Ryuki Hyodo
- Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Akihiko Yamagishi
- Department of Applied Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, 1432-1, Horinouchi, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0392, Japan
| | - Takashi Mikouchi
- The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Takafumi Niihara
- Department of Systems Innovation, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Shingo Matsuyama
- Aeronautical Technology Directorate, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 7-44-1, Jindaijihigasi-machi, Chofu, Tokyo 182-8522, Japan
| | - Kazuhisa Fujita
- Institute of Space and Astronomical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1, Yoshinodai, Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210, Japan
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Coussot G, Le Postollec A, Faye C, Baqué M, Vandenabeele-Trambouze O, Incerti S, Vigier F, Chaput D, Cottin H, Przybyla B, Berger T, Dobrijevic M. Photochemistry on the Space Station-Antibody Resistance to Space Conditions after Exposure Outside the International Space Station. Astrobiology 2019; 19:1053-1062. [PMID: 30817173 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Antibody-based analytical instruments are under development to detect signatures of life on planetary bodies. Antibodies are molecular recognition reagents able to detect their target at sub-nanomolar concentrations, with high affinity and specificity. Studying antibody binding performances under space conditions is mandatory to convince space agencies of the adequacy of this promising tool for planetary exploration. To complement previous ground-based experiments on antibody resistance to simulated irradiation, we evaluate in this paper the effects of antibody exposure to real space conditions during the EXPOSE-R2 mission outside the International Space Station. The absorbed dose of ionizing radiation recorded during the 588 days of this mission (220 mGy) corresponded to the absorbed dose expected during a mission to Mars. Moreover, samples faced, at the same time as irradiation, thermal cycles, launch constraints, and long-term storage. A model biochip was used in this study with antibodies in freeze-dried form and under two formats: free or covalently grafted to a solid surface. We found that antibody-binding performances were not significantly affected by cosmic radiation, and more than 40% of the exposed antibody, independent of its format, was still functional during all this experiment. We conclude that antibody-based instruments are well suited for in situ analysis on planetary bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaëlle Coussot
- 1Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron (IBMM), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Montpellier, France
| | - Aurélie Le Postollec
- 2Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Pessac, France
| | | | - Mickaël Baqué
- 4German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Planetary Research, Management and Infrastructure, Research Group Astrobiological Laboratories, Berlin, Germany
| | - Odile Vandenabeele-Trambouze
- 5Université de Bretagne Occidentale (UBO), IUEM-UMR 6197, Laboratoire de Microbiologie des Environnements Extrêmes (LMEE), Plouzané, France
| | - Sébastien Incerti
- 6Centre d'Etudes Nucléaires de Bordeaux Gradignan (CENBG), UMR 5797, Université de Bordeaux, Gradignan, France
| | | | - Didier Chaput
- 7Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales, DCT/ME/EM, Toulouse, France
| | - Hervé Cottin
- 8Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (LISA), UMR 7583, Université Paris Est Créteil et Université Paris Diderot, Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, Créteil, France
| | - Bartos Przybyla
- 9German Aerospace Center, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Cologne, Germany
| | - Thomas Berger
- 9German Aerospace Center, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Cologne, Germany
| | - Michel Dobrijevic
- 2Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Pessac, France
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Blanco Y, de Diego-Castilla G, Viúdez-Moreiras D, Cavalcante-Silva E, Rodríguez-Manfredi JA, Davila AF, McKay CP, Parro V. Effects of Gamma and Electron Radiation on the Structural Integrity of Organic Molecules and Macromolecular Biomarkers Measured by Microarray Immunoassays and Their Astrobiological Implications. Astrobiology 2018; 18:1497-1516. [PMID: 30070898 PMCID: PMC6276817 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2016.1645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
High-energy ionizing radiation in the form of solar energetic particles and galactic cosmic rays is pervasive on the surface of planetary bodies with thin atmospheres or in space facilities for humans, and it may seriously affect the chemistry and the structure of organic and biological material. We used fluorescent microarray immunoassays to assess how different doses of electron and gamma radiations affect the stability of target compounds such as biological polymers and small molecules (haptens) conjugated to large proteins. The radiation effect was monitored by measuring the loss in the immunoidentification of the target due to an impaired ability of the antibodies for binding their corresponding irradiated and damaged epitopes (the part of the target molecule to which antibodies bind). Exposure to electron radiation alone was more damaging at low doses (1 kGy) than exposure to gamma radiation alone, but this effect was reversed at the highest radiation dose (500 kGy). Differences in the dose-effect immunoidentification patterns suggested that the amount (dose) and not the type of radiation was the main factor for the cumulative damage on the majority of the assayed molecules. Molecules irradiated with both types of radiation showed a response similar to that of the individual treatments at increasing radiation doses, although the pattern obtained with electrons only was the most similar. The calculated radiolysis constant did not show a unique pattern; it rather suggested a different behavior perhaps associated with the unique structure of each molecule. Although not strictly comparable with extraterrestrial conditions because the irradiations were performed under air and at room temperature, our results may contribute to understanding the effects of ionizing radiation on complex molecules and the search for biomarkers through bioaffinity-based systems in planetary exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda Blanco
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Graciela de Diego-Castilla
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Viúdez-Moreiras
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Erika Cavalcante-Silva
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Alfonso F. Davila
- Space Science Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Christopher P. McKay
- Space Science Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Victor Parro
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain
- Address correspondence to: Victor Parro, Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Carretera de Ajalvir km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid 28850, Spain
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Moreno-Paz M, Gómez-Cifuentes A, Ruiz-Bermejo M, Hofstetter O, Maquieira Á, Manchado JM, Morais S, Sephton MA, Niessner R, Knopp D, Parro V. Detecting Nonvolatile Life- and Nonlife-Derived Organics in a Carbonaceous Chondrite Analogue with a New Multiplex Immunoassay and Its Relevance for Planetary Exploration. Astrobiology 2018; 18:1041-1056. [PMID: 29638146 PMCID: PMC6225596 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2017.1747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Potential martian molecular targets include those supplied by meteoritic carbonaceous chondrites such as amino acids and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and true biomarkers stemming from any hypothetical martian biota (organic architectures that can be directly related to once living organisms). Heat extraction and pyrolysis-based methods currently used in planetary exploration are highly aggressive and very often modify the target molecules making their identification a cumbersome task. We have developed and validated a mild, nondestructive, multiplex inhibitory microarray immunoassay and demonstrated its implementation in the SOLID (Signs of Life Detector) instrument for simultaneous detection of several nonvolatile life- and nonlife-derived organic molecules relevant in planetary exploration and environmental monitoring. By utilizing a set of highly specific antibodies that recognize D- or L- aromatic amino acids (Phe, Tyr, Trp), benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), pentachlorophenol, and sulfone-containing aromatic compounds, respectively, the assay was validated in the SOLID instrument for the analysis of carbon-rich samples used as analogues of the organic material in carbonaceous chondrites or even Mars samples. Most of the antibodies enabled sensitivities at the 1-10 ppb level and some even at the ppt level. The multiplex immunoassay allowed the detection of B[a]P as well as aromatic sulfones in a water/methanol extract of an Early Cretaceous lignite sample (c.a., 140 Ma) representing type IV kerogen. No L- or D-aromatic amino acids were detected, reflecting the advanced diagenetic stage and the fossil nature of the sample. The results demonstrate the ability of the liquid extraction by ultrasonication and the versatility of the multiplex inhibitory immunoassays in the SOLID instrument to discriminate between organic matter derived from life and nonlife processes, an essential step toward life detection outside Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes Moreno-Paz
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Gómez-Cifuentes
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Ruiz-Bermejo
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Oliver Hofstetter
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois
| | - Ángel Maquieira
- Department of Chemistry, Instituto Universitario de Reconocimiento Molecular y Desarrollo Tecnológico, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Juan M. Manchado
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sergi Morais
- Department of Chemistry, Instituto Universitario de Reconocimiento Molecular y Desarrollo Tecnológico, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mark A. Sephton
- Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Dietmar Knopp
- Department Chemie, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Victor Parro
- Department of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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