Laboratory Studies and Field Analogue Research in Support of Mars Exploration

One of the most fascinating questions in planetary science is whether life ever arose on Mars. Life may have emerged during habitable periods on Mars and remains may still be preserved in the subsurface, evaporite deposits, caves or polar regions. Several orbiters as well as the Insight lander, the Curiosity rover, the Perseverance rover and China’s Zhurong rover are currently exploring Mars. At present, NASA’s Perseverance rover is investigating habitability in the Jezero crater, an ancient river delta, and has started to collect and cache samples in sealed tubes for transport to Earth by a future Mars sample-return mission. Whether applied in situ or on returned samples, life-detection strategies must be robust to recover any traces of biomarkers; reliable results depend critically upon the sensitivity of detection methods, well-thought-out control analyses, and rigorous contamination control. Laboratory studies, field analogue research and experiments in low Earth orbit (LEO) are prerequisites to correctly identify, quantify low concentrations, and provide context for the persistence, preservation, and presence of organics or remnant biomass on Mars.