Astrobiology

The NAI identified three main goals of astrobiology. Primary among these goals is the investigation of the evolution of life principally on Earth. This is achieved by understanding how organic matter became organized into living organisms, and how life and environment coevolved with Earth. NAI's second aim is to find extraterrestial life by identifying habitable planets. This will require identification of conditions essential for life to develop, and searching for life signatures on planets of the solar system and beyond. The third goal is to determine the future of life on Earth and in outer space. This area is addressed by studying the response of terrestrial organisms to reduced gravity conditions, and investigating how the environmental changes affect life on Earth.