Science Expeditions to Planetary-like environments and the search for life in the Solar System

The Astrobiology-driven search for Life in the Solar System and beyond begins here on Earth.  In connection with this search, the NASA vision for Space Exploration involves robotic missions to prepare for humans living, working on the surface of Mars, and exploring it for finding indicators of life.  The near future search for life will target Ocean Worlds such as Enceladus and Europa, icy moon with potentially habitable subglacial briny oceans. 

In this talk Rosalba will present examples of expeditions to extreme and remote deserts in Chile (Atacama), Namibia, New Zealand, Australia, Antarctica, and the Himalayas. A summary of the latest 2016 SB India Expedition to the Leh-Ladakh region will be also presented.

Social Community Mixer: 8:00 pm �" 8:30 pm, Performing Arts Theater, EVC

Public Stargazing Night: Enjoy a free public stargazing session after the talk at the Montgomery Hill Observatory of Evergreen Valley College from 8:30 pm to 10 pm. View Moon, Mars, Orion Nebula, pleiades and many other objects.

Free parking in the parking lot #6 for this event.

Speaker: Rosalba Bonaccorsi, SETI Institute’s Carl Sagan Center at NASA Ames Research Center.