Many astronomers, geologists and biologists believe that exploration of the solar system will provide knowledge that could not be gained by observing from the Earth’s surface or from orbit around the earth.  There is a split in the thinking of those interested in space exploration as to whether we are safer using robotic instruments into space or to use human astronauts.  While robotic exploration is certainly safer and, for that matter, cheaper, robots cannot respond to unexpected conditions once in space as can humans.

An interesting publication for those interested in this type of thing is the Mars News, found at www.Marsnews.com.  Currently, Nancy Hiniman of the University of Montana and her associates are looking forward to studying rocks brought back from Mars.  The team has detected amino acids in the mineral jarosite collected from different places here on Earth.  This is not the first time that biological compounds have been detected inside rock but their new method has the advantage of working at a “very low concentration.”  Jarosite is a sulfate mineral containing iron, potassium and hydroxide.  It forms only in the presence of acidic water.  In 2004, jarosite was discovered on Mars and was believed to be clear evidence that water has been there in the past.

According to Carlton Allen of NASA, it is possible that a molecule basic to life can be detected in an important martian mineral using an instrument that might fly on a future spacecraft.  This does not appear to be a near term mission, however, because of the complexities of the instruments which would be involved.