Today I was asked a very good question, not by Diego, but by my father. We were sitting at the table drinking our morning coffee when he asked, "even if there is life on Europa, would it really be in anyone's best interest to discover it?"
It was such a good question that I questioned if he had really come up with it or if he had heard it on the news, now that the mission had been made public and different anchors were discussing it on several channels. It was a good thing that we had chosen to talk to Diego when we had, because shortly after I'd spoken to him the list of astronauts and trainees set to embark on this mission had been made public. Even though I doubt him, or his friends would notice if my name was on TV, it's good that it had been handled before then.
I explained to my father why exploring life on Europa was ethical and in the best interest of science, but to be honest I had to convince myself a little bit. Sure, exploring alien life is a dream come true to me, making me a little biased, but I'm also aware of the risk. It is something I've already asked the mission coordinator's several questions about, and while their answers have all been great, I still find myself questioning if I'm doing the right thing here.
Discovering life on other planets not only answers many of the biggest questions on astronomers' minds, but it also opens a brand window of scientific discovery. It can help answer questions about space colonization including what the limits to which life can survive and where would it be appropriate for humans to settle in the first place without disturbing fragile alien ecosystems. It can also help answer the question of how likely we are to come in contact with another form of intelligent life somewhere down the road. For reasons like this and countless more I am all for searching for alien life.
That being said, I understand the risk. Despite its resilience, life is fragile, and humans have been known to destroy more ecosystems than any other creature. What if there is a chance that coming in contact with humans dooms whatever life we come in contact with. Maybe by drilling for life in the ice we break apart a fragile balance, or inadvertently introduce a new chemical.
It is for these reasons that I've done my due diligence to make sure this mission will not interfere with life on Europa. I would not have accepted this mission if NASA did not share this vision with me.
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Europa
Science FictionIn order to embark on a mission to discover alien life on the icy moon of Jupiter Maria must leave her life on Earth behind, including her father and her seven-year-old son Diego. She thought the hardest part of the mission would be saying goodbye...
