Us House Of Representatives 2001 Hearing Life In The Universe

SUBCOMMITTEE AERONAUTICS REPRESENTATIVES on Science Pennsylvania University Collection Depository Web:http://www.house.gov/science GOVERNMENT WASHINGTON the Superintendent Documents, U.S. Government bookstore.gpo.gov Washington, COMMITTEEON SCIENCE HON.SHERWOOD CONSTANCEA. CHRISTOPHER Connecticut Pennsylvania ROHRABACHER, California California GUTKNECHT, NETHERCUTT,JR., Washington California GILCHREST, GRUCCI,JR., Pennsylvania California California SHEILAJACKSON ETHERIDGE, Connecticut Washington Pennsylvania California California Subcommittee andAeronautics ROHRABACHER, California, California NETHERCUTT,JR., Washington California SHERWOODL. Connecticut California ETHERIDGE, ERIC STERNERSubcommittee BILLADKINS Professional ED FEDDEMAN ProfessionalStaff RUBENVAN MITCHELL ProfessionalStaff CHRISSHANK ProfessionalStaff RICHARDOBERMANNDemocratic ProfessionalStaff LegislativeAssistant Rohrabacher,Chairman, Subcommitteeon Aeronautics, Representatives Subcommitteeon Aeronautics, Representatives Subcommitteeon Aeronautics, Representatives OpeningStatement Subcommitteeon Aeronautics, Representatives Witnesses: Statementof Department Astrophysics Planetarium, AmericanMuseumof Natural Representative,ArizonaState University, NASAAstrobiologyInstitute Statementof EdwardJ. Administrator, Aeronautics Administration Christopher Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute, and Associate Professor, Department Geological Environmental University PreparedStatement Congresswoman Discussion University Astrobiology Searchfor ExtrasolarPlanets NASA'sFollow-OnMissions the Hubble SpaceTelescope Missionof theSETI Peer ReviewFunding48 FundingforNASA SpaceTelescopes Searchfor Extraterrestrial Intelligence DifferencesBetween Intelligent The Role of Waterin the Searchfor Life67 SETIInstitute Missions68 Researchers Unidentified FlyingObjects SETIPeer Reviewed APPENDIX1: Post-Hearing Responsesby Administrator, Aeronauticsand Administration Responsesby Christopher Searchfor ExtraterrestrialIntel Institute, Professor, Department and EnvironmentalScience, University PreparedStatementof OliverChair Institute, o g1tized by Go gl Origiral fro-n PENN STATE Representatives, Subcommitteeon Aeronautics, on Science, Washington, The Subcommittee met,pursuant HouseOffice Hon.DanaRohr- Subcommittee] presiding. ChairmanRoHRABACHER. call this meeting and AeronauticsSubcommitteeto order.And without objection, Chairwillbe grantedauthority to recessthe Committee.Soor wouldliketoremind thatwe have andwewillbe soon to to thosevotes. rememberthatas a "Independence greatmovie, aswell. And "The StoodStill." rememberwhenthesaucerlanded Washington, DC.Thatwas Unfortunately, popularity suchmovies expectations the searchfor extraterrestrial the universe. likethosethatwesaw the movies, doknowthat thescience is attempting minethe existenceofbasic neighboring aswellasplanets of scientific that hasexistedsincethedawnof humankind.Andthat are we alone? today'shearing, wewillreviewrealefforts concerning searchfor life theuniverse.And wanttothankour distinguished memberfrom Subcommitteereviewthis And unlike andMarsPathfinder spaceprobes toactuallyviewtherealMartian landscapeand consider of waterfor supporting lifeformson Marsand onotherplan etsand other intelligent lifeacrosstheuni earthitselfhas natureof extraterrestriallife. howsciencewill ussort out fact from fiction.And amsure thereis very provocativequestions, concerningmany wouldnow liketo firstbefore toBartfor his openingstatement, afew minutestoLamar say, requested you may proceed. statementofMr.Rohrabacher Statementof Rohrabacher movieslike War Independence theEarthStoodStill. Unfortunately, popularity expectations searchfor extraterrestriallife Idon'tknowiflittle menexist.Idoknowthatthe science attempting todeterminetheexistenceofbasiclifeon planetsneighboring of scientificmethods,we are thathas existedsincethedawnof human kind:are we alone? Today'shearing willreviewrealefforts concerning the search theuniverse. distinguished memberfrom suggesting Subcommitteereviewthis movies,Viking Pathfinder spaceprobes toactuallyviewthereal Martian landscape, considerthe possibility of waterfor supporting andsearchfor intelligent lifeacrossthe Earthitselfhas uswith valuable natureof extraterrestriallife. welooktoour sciencewill ussort fact from fiction. Mr.Chairman.AndIthankthe Memberfor letting my opening wanttothank butalsofor assembling outstanding witnessesas we havehere Thesearchofthe heavens imagination seemswe haveablockbustermovie intelligent Ifwe wereto discoverevi denceof life wewillhavemadeone ofthe mostnotablediscoveriesof our of alltime. Whohasn'tlooked and wonderedabouthow life andwhether inhabitother of our uni verse?T.S.Elliott "We shall notceasefrom exploration. the endof all our willbe toarrivewherewestartedand forthefirst time."Author Ferrissaid that of Elliott's "cosmology's credo,fortofind wemustknowthe rootsto the anddiscoverlife hasled us totrekto the NorthPoleand circumnavigate totheoceans' Wehaveeven Aswecontinueto weshouldalso search intelligent theuniversewould rateas oneofthe most astounding Weneedto searchtheskiesbecause relinquishesany elsewhereintheuniverse? otherworldsinour solar from Marsto the moonsof the searchfor microbiallife. And scientistscontinueto innovative technology approaches techniques thatcouldbe used aninternational ground-based willbe100timesmoresensitivethan mostsensitive telescopes. to searchfor theuniverse the faceofGod."Inherent the desireto and faster.The centuries-old for otherworlds like our earthhasbeen rejuvenated the intense excitementand surrounding giantJupiter-size orbitingstars istofind smaller developing TerrestrialPlanet Finderand theNextGeneration Telescope, intendedto de tectearth-size wewillhavecom binedthe best nologies,giving to moveforward fundamental Arewe alone?These andothersre usthat our corner allowus to greatestquestions me tomakethe statement. ChairmanRohrabacher. appreciateyou requesting of our scientists believethat the intelligence intelligent theNation's perplexing statement? Mr. Gordon.Thank wouldliketowel comethewitnessesto distinguished groupof scientistswithusthis morning,and amsure thatthe of lifeinthe discussion. Earthisoneofthefundamental the searchfor extra terrestriallifealsohas philosophic dimensions.We don'thavetime all ofthese dimensions, thatthewitnesseswillbe able to betterunder standatleastthescientificissuesinvolved. wouldliketoknowmoreaboutthescientificas beyondyour strategies assumptions valid.Butatthis time andmoveonwith this ChairmanRohrabacher. liketo havea statement? Justashort statement, Mr.Chairman.Thank wantto welcomethe themfor beinghere Whatwe are tolearnorhearabout our effort and whatwe beable tolearn.Anditis interesting, note.Oneof themis thewordsthat opportunity toseeandex billionsof makea difference our own livesand aboutwhatwe are interesting to notethat Washington distantcomets discoveriescan explore,again, aboutashuman forwardtowhatthese wouldhaveto my colleague, discussion. ChairmanRohrabacher. activememberof this Subcommittee, much.Sowithout objection, mentsof othermembers intothewritten testimony.Hearing soordered. alsoask unanimous insertatthe background memorandum staff for this hearing.Hearing informationreferredto HEARINGCHARTER SUBCOMMITTEE AND AERONAUTICS COMMITTEEONSCIENCE U.S.HOUSEOFREPRESENTATIVES theUniverse THURSDAY,JULY 2318RAYBURNHOUSEOFFICEBUILDING Witnesses: Planetarium; University, Astrobiology Institute; Extraterrestrial Intelligence HouseOffice theSubcommitteeon and Aeronautics the Universeon theNationalAeronauticsand A(lministration astrobiologyprograms leadingprivate,non-profit theSETIInstitute'sPhoenix Committeemem berswith the opportunity effortsto searchfor lifeelsewherein is Directorof the HaydenPlanetarium NewYorkCity anda ResearchScientist astrophysics at Princeton University. qualitative differencesbetweenthesearchfor extraterrestriallife and other scientificfieldsof anddiscussthe appreciation multi-discipli Dr.JackFarmeris the Directorand PrincipalInvestigator of the NASA-funded Astrobiology at ArizonaState University. Hisinterestsinclude evolutionand microbiology and biosedimentology of thermal otherextremeenvironments.His willfocuson the searchfor extra terrestriallife in our solar oneofthe moonsof Dr. EdwardWeileris NASA'sAssociateAdministratorfor Science.Dr. responsible Enterprise. enterprise aimsto achievea comprehensiveunderstanding lutionof the beginnings of life and of whetherlife exists the Universe at theSETIInstitute Department Geologicaland EnvironmentalSciencesat StanfordUniversity.His onthesearchfor extraterrestrialintelligenceat theSETI Insti tute'sPhoenix fundedcontinuationof government-funded ResolutionMicrowave Background Arewe aloneinthe universe? Thereisaprobabilitythat life primitiveformslike microorganismsand in the universe otherthantheEarth.Scientists discovering conditionselsewherein the universein centdiscoveriesof extrasolar theexistenceof microbesin Marsmeteorites havecreatednew avenuesfor ductiveresearch.Futurediscoverieswillbe basedonthe development telescopes, and otherresourcesthatwill searchfor indicationsoftheselife thereextraterrestrial in our solar Astrobiologyis the studyof lifeonother planetsusing scientific experience the observationof life's evolutiononthe Earth.The recent terrestrial life formsknownas "extremophiles" demonstratesthat lifecan evolveand thrivein extremeclimatesand environments, underground, discoveries led researcherstorevisetheir understanding oftheminimal requirements existenceof geological and radiation shielding) tosustainlife. "extremophiles" scientiststo life forms exist wheresimilarconditionsexistelsewhereinthesolar of howthese extremophilesadapt toharshenvironmentsonthe Earthcombinedwiththe microorganisms teoritesin1996 dealof scientificinterestinthe possibility SeveralMartianmeteoriteshavebeenfoundon andsomeof them tocontainthefossilizedremainsof microorganisms. Thesemeteoritesofferarare opportunity actuallyretrieving the rocksfrom Mars. significant, notconclusive lifeonMars becauseofthe ofthefossil's possibility the meteorite contaminated hereonEarth. Scientistscontinue searchfor addi tionalMartianmeteorites anefforttolearnmoreaboutthe possibility ofthesemeteorites scientifically that life existedonMars.Further exploration of Marswillbe whetheror not lifeonceexistedor survivesthere ExplorationProgram the efforts theMarinerandVi 1970sandtheMarsGlobal and Pathfinder the1990s.The primaryemphasis ofthecurrent planetas adynamic and studythepast and environment, This research