Exobiology 



development of technology necessary to build the hardware. The final stage is 

 implementation of the mission or project. These stages are represented by three 

 functional elements in the current structure of the Exobiology Program: 1) ground- 

 based research, 2) pre-project advanced development, and 3) missions and 

 projects. The present program organization of functional components and 

 evolutionary epochs should be maintained. 



The scope of the Exobiology Program embraces an extremely broad range of 

 technical expertise and scientific disciplines. Because many of the scientific prob- 

 lems in the Exobiology Program lie at the interface between scientific disciplines, 

 they are most effectively addressed with a multidisciplinary approach. This is 

 particularly true for field- and mission-oriented research and studies of small or 

 rare samples of biological or geological origin on which many correlated 

 measurements must be made. The disciplines involved may be as seemingly 

 disparate as astrophysics and biochemistry, or as related as organic chemistry and 

 biology. Often, practitioners of the separate disciplines are unaware of the 

 contributions each can make to the overall effort. The integration of such diverse 

 research elements is critically important. Toward this end, the Exobiology Program 

 should conduct regular, topical, multidisciplinary science workshops in which key 

 scientists representing all areas germane to the topic are assembled to share and 

 synthesize knowledge, identify fruitful research approaches and future directions, 

 and develop collaborative activities. 



Findings for Program Management and Administration 



• A vigorous Exobiology research program requires the participation of scientists 

 from many disciplines in NASA and the scientific community at large, some of 

 whom may already be associated with research programs of other divisions or 

 other agencies. 



• The many years usually required to address adequately a major research prob- 

 lem on the ground or to translate a ground-based research effort into an 

 experiment or project in space underscores the need for long-term 

 commitments on the parts of both the Exobiology Program and many of its 

 investigators. 



• Most academic institutions train young scientists in strongly discipline-oriented 

 departments where exposure to the science of exobiology may be minimal. Yet 

 young scientists capable of conducting interdisciplinary research are the life- 

 blood of the Exobiology Program. 



Recommendations 



• NASA should maintain a strong multidisciplinary team of inhouse scientists 

 with the technical expertise and programmatic commitment to assist the 

 program manager in developing future programs and an external scientific 

 constituency. 



• The Exobiology Program should institute a policy to support at any given 

 time at least one multidisciplinary team of investigators selected by peer 



151 



