Abstract EANA2026-122

Astrobiology seeks to understand the origins, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the Universe by linking cosmic chemistry, planetary evolution, and biological complexity. Investigating the molecular complexity of extraterrestrial environments requires a combination of laboratory simulations, space exposure experiments, and studies of planetary analog sites on Earth. Analyses of organic matter in meteorites and comets reveal that many of the fundamental molecular building blocks of life are widespread throughout the Solar System and likely beyond, providing important insights into the chemical pathways that may lead to habitability and prebiotic evolution. Small bodies such as comets and asteroids also preserve records of the processes that shaped the early Solar System and may have delivered carbon-rich compounds and volatiles to the young Earth and Mars during periods of intense bombardment. Space missions exploring these primordial reservoirs provide unique opportunities to characterize the inventory of prebiotic materials available on early planetary surfaces and to investigate the role of extraterrestrial organic matter in the emergence of life.

A central objective of modern astrobiology is the identification of robust biosignatures and the development of technologies capable of detecting evidence of past or present life on Mars, icy ocean worlds, and potentially habitable exoplanets. Recent discoveries of diverse extremophiles on Earth have significantly expanded our understanding of the environmental limits of life and transformed concepts of planetary habitability. Mars remains a primary target in the search for life beyond Earth. Although surface conditions are hostile to organic preservation due to ultraviolet radiation and oxidative processes, subsurface environments, evaporite deposits, caves, and polar regions may retain records of past habitability. The launch of the Rosalind Franklin rover as part of ESA’s ExoMars mission in 2028 will mark a major milestone by drilling up to two meters beneath the Martian surface in search of preserved biosignatures. This lecture will explore the evolution of organic matter in space and the scientific and technological foundations required for future robotic missions investigating habitability and biosignatures across the Solar System.