Mars Sample Return: Planning Considerations for Searching for Biosignatures in Mars Samples

Learn about NASA and ESA's Mars Sample Return Campaign planning considerations in this seminar presentation from Brandi Carrier of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Explore the critical aspects of searching for biosignatures in samples collected from Mars' Jezero Crater by the Perseverance Rover. Discover the complex strategies for preserving and analyzing potential evidence of both past and present Martian life, including contamination prevention protocols, environmental protection measures, and time-sensitive investigation workflows. Gain insights into the challenges of conducting life detection studies both within and outside biocontainment facilities, and understand how these samples could provide groundbreaking evidence of extraterrestrial life.