Voyager 1 - Between the Stars

Going the Distance

An artist's illustration of the Voyager spacecraft

17.4 billion km. That's the current distance (As of March 2011) of the Voyager 1 probe from our little blue world. The most distant man-made object. There's something rather poignant about its lonely place in our culture. Along with the moon landings, it's one of the main pinnacles of human achievement. What makes it all the more impressive, is that it's still going. Voyager 1 and 2 are still sending back important information, still transmitting data from their late 70s-based technology.

What have we done since, to equal these achievements? What are we even planning? There's a lesson to be learnt from the forward-looking optimism and dreams that bore such fruit. We're a species that appears to be going backward. Or at best, we're maintaining a kind of cultural stasis, in which our progress moves sideways. Some things improve, others decay, but tragically so few of them still look forward into our distant future.

Interstellar Space

The Voyager 1 Record Cover

Voyager 1 is thought to be reaching that final point at which the influence of our sun ceases to be anything more than another star in the night sky. Then Voyager 1 will enter true interstellar space, the empty vastness between the stars (You can read more detail here). When it can no longer function, I fear that mankind will take far too long to reach a similar level of intrepid exploration and achievement once again.

Its power source is expected to cease providing enough energy to operate the craft, by 2020. 2025 at absolute best. When it stops, the most distant achievement of mankind's glorious exploits will have effectively reached the end of its operational life, but it will still be a message in a bottle. It carries its golden record of images, video and sounds of earth, with a cover of instructions. It would be fitting if one day it got the chance to perform its final and most incredible task...

Read more about the Voyager mission here: http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/spacecraft/index.html

Image Credit: NASA/JPL (http://www.nasaimages.org)

All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.

NASA – Intentional Disappointment?

Unusual Microbes

On December 2nd, 2010, NASA was due to make an announcement to ”...discuss an astrobiology finding that will impact the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life. Astrobiology is the study of the origin, evolution, distribution and future of life in the universe.”

Some of you may have read my previous article 'NASA - Announcement - Possible Proof of Life Out There?', which I wrote shortly prior to the news conference.

Of course, there was a great deal of speculation going on. It seemed that NASA finally had something potentially incredible to tell us. I, like no-doubt many others around the globe, tuned in on-line to their announcement as it came through. Part of me was sceptical of how major the discovery would be, since we've heard so many things in the past that turned out to be nothing. However, part of me was also fascinated and hopeful that it could be something momentous.

It turned out that the magnificent discovery was a form of microbial life found here on earth, that uses a different element (arsenic) for one part of its basic structure, where up till now it was thought only phosphorous was used, as it is with other life on Earth.

Not only was this their big announcement, but already many experts are questioning that NASA's results are accurate, and dubious about their methods of testing.

Oddly enough, it fits in with one of the possibilities I suggested “The recently discovered Mexican 'Cueva de los Cristales' (Cave of Crystals).” and, “...there is speculation that it could result in the finding of independently evolved forms of life in its isolated unique environment. This could impact studies of astrobiology...” I got the location wrong, but in general, my least optimistic theory turned out to be correct.

Felisa Wolfe-Simon, part of the NASA presentation team

It all begs a few questions, though... Undoubtedly NASA knew what speculation the wording of their news conference would spark. I'm sure you would agree, they're not stupid. So they worded something that would clearly give out the wrong signals, then made an announcement that, while I'm sure it is fascinating to the world of microbiologists, is hardly the kind of revelation to the rest of us that the news conference announcement implied. A simple quantifier would have sufficed, without giving anything away, surely? The mention of it being something microbial on earth, perhaps?

One of the original co-authors of the paper on the discovery, stated this in reply to the sceptical scientists: "Science works in a certain way. It's resistant to change," he said. "But if you look qualitatively at our data, it's compelling. They may prove us wrong, or they may reproduce the results and find new stuff... It's the way the process works." A fair statement, but with a viewpoint like that, implying that they're not even 100% sure they're correct and that their data is replicable themselves, why was such an event set up to reveal the findings? Why would they announce it this way? It makes you wonder... Perhaps they are fanning the flames for more funding? Obama has made plenty of absurd cuts to NASA's budget recently, but surely they would realise that the disappointing scale of their final announcement would in turn undermine that effort.

When all is said and done, we can speculate endlessly and get nowhere. The only real thing we know, is that any genuine search for extraterrestrial life will continue pretty much as it did before, without missing a beat...

(To read a different and extremely good discussion on the subject, try giving this blog a go: “Dear NASA... We like the Super-Tough Microbes, Yes, But...” )

All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.

NASA Announcement - Possible Proof of Life Out There?

Surprise News Conference

CGI rendering of the Mars Rover

Yesterday, I heard about an impending announcement by NASA at a news conference due to start at 2pm EST (Eastern Standard Time) on the 2nd of December. That's about 7pm (if my maths is correct) for those of us on GMT. (Click here to read)

Here's a snippet from the announcement of the news conference:

“WASHINGTON -- NASA will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. EST on Thursday, Dec. 2, to discuss an astrobiology finding that will impact the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life. Astrobiology is the study of the origin, evolution, distribution and future of life in the universe.”

Renowned theoretical physicist, Michio Kaku 

Apparently speculation has been rife on the internet since the announcement. Everybody's wondering what it could be. Possible proof of the existence of extraterrestrial life? Even renowned scientist Michio Kaku has been asked to talk about the possibilities on America's MSNBC and FOX networks, and posted on his blog about the event (Click here to read).

His thoughts are that it could be anything from:
a) The discovery of many earth-like planets in space (As opposed to the larger Jupiter-like planets they tend to be discovering).
b) Analysis of the chemicals on some of our solar system's moons that could provide the building blocks to life.
c) Proof of the existence of some extraterrestrial microbial life.

Personally, I feel we can discount options a) and b). There have been past announcements about moons in our solar system that have chemicals that could allow the existence of life. We've also had plenty of announcements about extra-solar planets. Not only have we had them before, but given the differing scientific fields that such discoveries would influence and impact, it seems highly doubtful they would call a news conference specifically related to astrobiology.

Option c) seems the most likely on his list.


The Possibilities

Obviously at this point the news conference could be about the discovery of the tiniest bit of extraterrestrial microbial life, right through to walking on stage with a live alien making first contact. However, being sensible, what are the most likely contenders?

In my opinion, we can break them down to a few major ideas.

Small Scale Contenders:

The Mars Rover finding evidence for
sub-surface water

1 – The Mars Rovers. Yes, I know, everyone always jumps to Mars as the most likely suspect due to its historic expectations, but bear with me. Mars is also the only extraterrestrial planet on which we have regularly operating probes at ground level searching out new material. If the discovery is a small one, it is very possible that the Rovers would be the first suspects to find it. It could be anything from a tiny Martian insect caught on camera, to a simple moss (or similar) on a rock, to photographing a definite fossil fragment.

Cueva de los Cristales
(Cave of Crystals)

2 – The recently discovered Mexican 'Cueva de los Cristales' (Cave of Crystals).  This discovery was a completely isolated never-before-seen phenomena on this scale, and there is speculation that it could result in the finding of independently evolved forms of life in its isolated unique environment. This could impact studies of astrobiology greatly, but why would NASA be the ones making the announcement?

The Hayabusa re-entry into the
Earth's atmosphere

3 – The Hayabusa Spacecraft. The Japanese Hayabusa probe that collected particles from the Itokawa asteroid. Perhaps some of the key chemical building blocks of life or even fossilised microbial samples have been discovered in its captured particles. Perhaps its minilander, Minerva, didn't fail? Then again, even if NASA were involved in analysis of the materials, why would they be making the announcement?

Mid Scale Contenders:

Saturn's moon Enceladus, taken
from the Cassini probe

1 – The Cassini spacecraft and Huygens probe that landed on Titan. This mission has not only landed a probe on Titan, but analysed the chemical make-up of several of Saturn's moons. Could further analysis of the photos from the Cassini-Huygens probe have provided new evidence? (Seems unlikely, given the landing occurred some time ago) Or has the Cassini probe discovered chemicals around one of the moons that can only created by the existence of life? (Or at least provide the necessary building blocks)

Large Scale Contenders:

The famous 'Face on Mars' after
closer photography from orbit

1 – The Mars orbiting satellites, or other planetary/moon probes. Perhaps one of these has indeed photographed evidence of life? Though due to the scales at which these spacecraft take their photographs, it would have to be something like ancient structures or similar, implying not only the past(?) existence of life, but intelligent life.

2 – A signal of intelligent origin. I find this unlikely, because although it would be of importance to astrobiologists, it would not be they alone whom it would impact, as the news conference suggests.


Global Impact

It's difficult to speculate, as it depends entirely upon the level and scale of their discovery. It can't be absurdly large, or we would be hearing some kind of announcement from the White House (Unless of course this has been kept under wraps sufficiently to get the news people in-place without giving the game away too much. The news conference is happening at NASA's Washington offices, after all).

If it turns out to be genuine proof of extraterrestrial life, even on the smallest scale, it will completely alter our perception of our place in the universe. However, this will be a gradual change, as it won't impact or interest the average Joe on the street as much as the latest sports scores.

If it turns out to be proof of not only extraterrestrial life, but intelligent life, then it could cause all manner of situations, from riots in highly religious and extreme countries who decry the evidence and its implications, right through to causing our largest world governments to band together to discover more about our alien companions in the universe, potentially ushering in a new era of planetary co-operation and purpose.


Final Thoughts

Of course, all of this is speculation by someone who has no real scientific knowledge, but for the average interested individual such as myself, those seem the most likely logical candidates. My gut instinct says something on a scale that the Mars Rovers might discover.

I could be completely wrong (and I probably am), but it's fun to wonder. The only way we're really going to find out, is tonight, by watching the NASA news conference.

We should all make the effort if we can. It may not be anything spectacular, in fact it's probably disappointingly mundane, but it could also be something that completely changes our world and our existence forever. Wouldn't you want to be one of the first to know?

All work is the © copyright of W.D.Lee and/or the respective companies, individuals or organisations to which the work is related. No infringement is intentional. No reproduction or copying is permitted without express permission.