Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Comment
  • Published:

A new deal for the human exploration of Mars

Common ground between human spaceflight and astrobiology can be used as the foundation for a new deal in the exploration of Mars that will allow stakeholders to reach critical astrobiological goals while supporting safer human exploration.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1: Perseverance acquired and stored this double-sample of the Jezero Crater delta front between July and August 2022.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS (main image); NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU (inset)

References

  1. Coustenis, A. Space Res. Today 208, 10–22 (2020).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. NASA Response to Planetary Protection Independent Review Board Recommendations (NASA, 2019); https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/planetary_protection_board_report_20191018.pdf

  3. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Committee on Planetary Protection: Evaluation of Bioburden Requirements for Mars Missions (The National Academies Press, 2021); https://doi.org/10.17226/26336

  4. Musk, E. New Space 5, 46–61 (2017).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Fairén, A. G. et al. Adv. Space Res. 63, 1491–1497 (2019).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Fairén, A. G. Eos 100, 13–15 (2019).

    Google Scholar 

  7. McKay, C. P. Science 323, 718–718 (2009).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Banfield, D. (ed.) Mars Scientific Goals, Objectives, Investigations, and Priorities (MEPAG, 2020); https://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov/reports.cfm

  9. Spry, J. A., Race, M. S., Kminek, G., Siegel, B. & Conley, C. In 48th International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES, 2018); https://ttu-ir.tdl.org/handle/2346/74252

  10. Cabrol, N. A. Tracing a modern biosphere on Mars. Nat. Astron. 5, 210–212 (2021).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (NASA, 1967); https://outerspacetreaty.org/

  12. Millwood, S. Air Space Law 43, 521–542 (2018).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Shahar, K. & Greenbaum, D. Nat. Astron. 4, 208–209 (2020).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This is a contribution from the project “MarsFirstWater”, funded by the European Research Council, Consolidator grant number 818602.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alberto G. Fairén.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Fairén, A.G., Cabrol, N.A. A new deal for the human exploration of Mars. Nat Astron 7, 753–754 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-023-02013-w

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-023-02013-w

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing