Frontier scientific questions in deep space exploration 深空探测之前沿科学问题探析

Wu，Weiren1; Wang，Chi2; Liu，Yang2; Qin，Liping3; Lin，Wei4; Ye，Shengyi5; Li，Hui2; Shen，Fang2; Zhang，Zhe1,6

2023

10.1360/TB-2022-0667

Kexue Tongbao/Chinese Science Bulletin   Impact Factor & Quartile

0023-074X

2095-9419

Deep space exploration is one of the frontiers of scientific research and driven by human instincts to explore the unknown. Since the Moon Race in the 1960s and 1970s, deep-space probes have explored many celestial bodies in our solar system, including eight planets. These explorations have yielded tremendous scientific discoveries, but they also revealed many more unsolved mysteries. The 21st century has witnessed a remarkable increase in deep-space exploration activities, with several new agencies launching their spacecraft in the past few decades. As a result of technological advancement, exploration success rates have improved significantly. A systematic review of frontier scientific questions can provide invaluable references for mission planning strategies and boost scientific discoveries and breakthroughs in the future. In general, these questions are related to three primary scientific subjects: (1) One of the primary scientific objectives of deep-space exploration is to study the origin and evolution of the solar system. From the collapse of the solar nebula to the formation of the planetary system, the solar system has undergone a complex evolutionary process. The components of the current solar system, particularly the residual presolar material, can provide critical information for understanding the initial conditions and evolution of the solar system. The Moon, being the nearest celestial body to Earth, serves as an outpost for exploring other planetary bodies and is especially important for testing deep-space exploration equipment and studying solar system evolution. (2) Another objective of deep space exploration is to better understand the evolution of planetary habitability. The Sun is an important factor affecting habitability, and eruptions of solar activities can have a substantial impact on the space environment of the solar system. The environment of the Earth and other planets has changed dramatically over billions of years of evolution. Although life has only been confirmed on Earth, other celestial bodies might also have had habitable conditions along the evolutionary process. Decoding the evolution of the habitable environment of solar system planetary bodies is of great significance for understanding the formation and evolution of habitable Earth and the origin of life on Earth. (3) Extraterrestrial life detection is a critical scientific topic in deep space exploration, with far-reaching implications for understanding the origin, evolution, and distribution of life in solar and extrasolar systems. The current scientific challenges in the detection of extraterrestrial life primarily involve four aspects: the origin and evolution of life, extraterrestrial habitable environments, life signal identification, and analogy of terrestrial extreme environments. In endeavors to answer these scientific questions, more well-planned deep-space exploration missions are required to collect evidence. In order to outpace opponents in the continuing space exploration endeavor, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the European Space Agency (ESA), and other rising roles have made their ambitious roadmaps. NASA will encourage commercial companies to join future missions through the Artemis program, and has planned missions to explore Venus, asteroids, and icy bodies. The ESA proposed tens of missions in its white paper Voyage 2050. In the coming decades, China will lay the groundwork for the International Lunar Research Station through three Chang’e and four Russian Luna missions. Furthermore, Tianwen-2 and Tianwen-3 will return samples from asteroids and Mars, respectively; Tianwen-4 is intended to explore the Jupiter system. The success of these missions will yield unprecedented information for deciphering the mysteries of the solar system and life, as well as considerably expanding our knowledge of the universe we live in.

deep space exploration extraterrestrial life planet solar system evolution the Moon

Chinese

Others

2-s2.0-85151051464

Scopus

1.Deep Space Exploration Laboratory,Beijing,100195,China
2.State Key Laboratory of Space Weather,National Space Science Center,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing,100190,China
3.School of Earth and Space Science,University of Science and Technology of China,Hefei,230026,China
4.Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics,Institute of Geology and Geophysics,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing,100029,China
5.Department of Earth and Space Sciences,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,518005,China
6.School of Aerospace Engineering,Beijing Institute of Technology,Beijing,100811,China

Wu，Weiren,Wang，Chi,Liu，Yang,等. Frontier scientific questions in deep space exploration 深空探测之前沿科学问题探析[J]. Kexue Tongbao/Chinese Science Bulletin,2023,68(6):606-627.

Wu，Weiren.,Wang，Chi.,Liu，Yang.,Qin，Liping.,Lin，Wei.,...&Zhang，Zhe.(2023).Frontier scientific questions in deep space exploration 深空探测之前沿科学问题探析.Kexue Tongbao/Chinese Science Bulletin,68(6),606-627.

Wu，Weiren,et al."Frontier scientific questions in deep space exploration 深空探测之前沿科学问题探析".Kexue Tongbao/Chinese Science Bulletin 68.6(2023):606-627.