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Subsurface scientific exploration of extraterrestrial environments (MINAR 5): analogue science, technology and education in the Boulby Mine, UK

Cockell, Charles S.; Holt, John; Campbell, Jim; Groseman, Harrison; Josset, Jean-Luc; Bontognali, Tomaso R.R.; Phelps, Audra; Hakobyan, Lilit; Kuretn, Libby; Beattie, Annalea; Blank, Jen; Bonaccorsi, Rosalba; McKay, Christopher; Shirvastava, Anushree; Stoker, Carol; Willson, David; McLaughlin, Scott; Payler, Sam; Stevens, Adam; Wadsworth, Jennifer; Bessone, Loredana; Maurer, Matthias; Sauro, Francesco; Martin-Torres, Javier; Zorzano, Maria-Paz; Bhardwaj, Anshuman; Soria-Salinas, Alvaro; Mathanlal, Thasshwin; Nazarious, Miracle Israel; Ramachandran, Abhilash Vakkada; Vaishampayan, Parag; Guan, Lisa; Perl, Scott M.; Telling, Jon; Boothroyd, Ian M.; Tyson, Ollie; Realff, James; Rowbottom, Joseph; Lauernt, Boris; Gunn, Matt; Shah, Shaily; Singh, Srijan; Paling, Sean; Edwards, Tom; Yeoman, Louise; Meehan, Emma; Toth, Christopher; Scovell, Paul; Suckling, Barbara

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Authors

Charles S. Cockell

John Holt

Jim Campbell

Harrison Groseman

Jean-Luc Josset

Tomaso R.R. Bontognali

Audra Phelps

Lilit Hakobyan

Libby Kuretn

Annalea Beattie

Jen Blank

Rosalba Bonaccorsi

Christopher McKay

Anushree Shirvastava

Carol Stoker

David Willson

Scott McLaughlin

Sam Payler

Adam Stevens

Jennifer Wadsworth

Loredana Bessone

Matthias Maurer

Francesco Sauro

Javier Martin-Torres

Maria-Paz Zorzano

Anshuman Bhardwaj

Alvaro Soria-Salinas

Thasshwin Mathanlal

Miracle Israel Nazarious

Abhilash Vakkada Ramachandran

Parag Vaishampayan

Lisa Guan

Scott M. Perl

Jon Telling

Ian M. Boothroyd

Ollie Tyson

James Realff

Joseph Rowbottom

Boris Lauernt

Matt Gunn

Shaily Shah

Srijan Singh

Sean Paling

Tom Edwards

Louise Yeoman

Emma Meehan

Christopher Toth

Paul Scovell

Barbara Suckling



Abstract

The deep subsurface of other planetary bodies is of special interest for robotic and human exploration. The subsurface provides access to planetary interior processes, thus yielding insights into planetary formation and evolution. On Mars, the subsurface might harbour the most habitable conditions. In the context of human exploration, the subsurface can provide refugia for habitation from extreme surface conditions. We describe the fifth Mine Analogue Research (MINAR 5) programme at 1 km depth in the Boulby Mine, UK in collaboration with Spaceward Bound NASA and the Kalam Centre, India, to test instruments and methods for the robotic and human exploration of deep environments on the Moon and Mars. The geological context in Permian evaporites provides an analogue to evaporitic materials on other planetary bodies such as Mars. A wide range of sample acquisition instruments (NASA drills, Small Planetary Impulse Tool (SPLIT) robotic hammer, universal sampling bags), analytical instruments (Raman spectroscopy, Close-Up Imager, Minion DNA sequencing technology, methane stable isotope analysis, biomolecule and metabolic life detection instruments) and environmental monitoring equipment (passive air particle sampler, particle detectors and environmental monitoring equipment) was deployed in an integrated campaign. Investigations included studying the geochemical signatures of chloride and sulphate evaporitic minerals, testing methods for life detection and planetary protection around human-tended operations, and investigations on the radiation environment of the deep subsurface. The MINAR analogue activity occurs in an active mine, showing how the development of space exploration technology can be used to contribute to addressing immediate Earth-based challenges. During the campaign, in collaboration with European Space Agency (ESA), MINAR was used for astronaut familiarization with future exploration tools and techniques. The campaign was used to develop primary and secondary school and primary to secondary transition curriculum materials on-site during the campaign which was focused on a classroom extra vehicular activity simulation.

Citation

Cockell, C. S., Holt, J., Campbell, J., Groseman, H., Josset, J., Bontognali, T. R., …Suckling, B. (2019). Subsurface scientific exploration of extraterrestrial environments (MINAR 5): analogue science, technology and education in the Boulby Mine, UK. International Journal of Astrobiology, 18(2), 157-182. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1473550418000186

Journal Article Type Article
Online Publication Date Jul 2, 2018
Publication Date Apr 30, 2019
Deposit Date Aug 13, 2018
Publicly Available Date Nov 15, 2019
Journal International Journal of Astrobiology
Print ISSN 1473-5504
Electronic ISSN 1475-3006
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 18
Issue 2
Pages 157-182
DOI https://doi.org/10.1017/s1473550418000186

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