Charles S. Cockell
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
Authors
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 | Mar 28, 2024 |
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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Copyright Statement
This article has been published in a revised form in International Journal of Astrobiology https://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550418000186. This version is published under a Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND. No commercial re-distribution or re-use allowed. Derivative works cannot be distributed. © Cambridge University Press.
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