A joint NASA, ESA seminar in Morocco called Geobiology in Space Exploration shall find new bio-indicators for the search for life, and develop a strategic document on the range of geobiology applications and possible space missions for ESA

Geobiology in Space Exploration is a meeting of talks and discussions to understand the full range of the contributions of geobiology to robotic and human space exploration, from life detection to practical applications of geobiology and geomicrobiology. Its purpose is to develop a road map of geobiology for future space missions. It is co-organised by the ESA Topical Team: Geomicrobiology for Space Settlement and Exploration.

Topics to be covered at the meeting include:
1) microbe-mineral interactions, biosignatures and the search for life elsewhere,
2) use of microorganisms in practical applications in space exploration,
3) space missions involving aspects of geobiology.
4) analog sites for the study of other planetary environments.

The meeting will begin midday on Monday 7th and will finish on Wednesday February 9th and will be held at the Université Cadi Ayyad (Morocco). The meeting will then be followed by a voluntary field trip for interested participants to investigate geomicrobiology and geology from Precambrian to Quaternary in the Atlas Mountains.

The output of this workshop will be a document/paper setting out directions and potential in geobiology applied to space.

Some extra seats are available to postdocs  and students

Visit http://www.irsps.unich.it/education/geoexp2011