Astrobiology is making headlines in space this week. The origins of life on earth, formerly a bone dry planet, have been credited in part to icy hydrogen and organic molecule bearing comets slamming into earth, thus creating Earth's oceans and sparking aquatic life. A new discovery of huge quantities of ice evident on a 100 mile wide asteroid named 24 Themis, circulating within our solar system, changes that hypothesis. While comets come from the far nether-regions of outer space, asteroids- also known as planetoids due to their large size, come from our inner solar system and may prove to contain a cocktail of hydrogen and prebiotic molecules more in sync with our oceans. Previously, asteroids were thought to be dry chunks of rock aimlessly soaring around but, now we may discover that they are the precursors of life on our planet, delivering huge amounts of water, amino acids, gases, and organic compounds. Studies done by the Japanese, simulating the force of a meteorite (mini-asteroids) into the planet, demonstrate that the force of their landing actually creates additional carbon based molecules induced by a chemical bond as a result of the impact. Thus, not only delivering the basic ingredients of life but, also creating the spark by which they were united.

Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is having a big month. After five long years and at least as many malfunctions, Hayabusa (Japanese for falcon) has returned, expecting to bear samples of the asteroid Itokawa. Results of their findings are eagerly awaited, especially in light of the recent discovery pertaining to 24 Themis. The small capsule will hopefully bear asteroid dust but, because Hayabusa was unable to employ all of its little tricks on the asteroid during its mere 30 minute visit and 5 year roundtrip, the chances are 50/50.... er, 40/60.

President Obama's proposed plan for NASA space exploration include astronauts landing on an asteroid and taking samples as a precursor for landing on Mars. Mars, formerly a wet planet with a magnetic field is a hot spot for finding life forms, past and present. Astrobiologists at NASA have been using Phoenix, a robotic lander launched in 2009 to study Martian water. Atmospheric samples will be taken by MAVEN, an orbiter launching in 2011. Long term plans to collect soil and rock samples and ultimately, search for life forms on Mars are in place with an aura of fervor surrounding them. NASA orbiters, landers, and robotic scouts are destined for Mars over the next two decades putting astrobiology on the fore and making Mars a very hot topic.

A recent discovery of vast stores of ice on the moon is also making waves. The water would ideally become a source of drinking water for astronauts and also used to make fuel. A radar used to scan for water, brought back positive feedback of tons of ice deposits on the moon, lining the deep craters on the moon's dark side. This news comes on the heels of the LCROSS rocket shot into a 60 mile wide crater at 5,600 miles per hour, which struck pay-dirt with a 26 gallon sample, in late 2009.

A French telescope has just discovered an earth-like planet approximately 1,500 light years away. It has beamed back conclusive evidence that the Jupiter sized exoplanet is orbiting a star at a respectable enough distance, meaning the surface temperature is within the zone of being habitable. The planet has been named Corot-9b and its star is called Corot-9, both living in the Serpens (Snake) solar system. This is the first earth-like giant exoplanet ever discovered.

Space exploration is advancing by leaps and bounds and the next two decades are sure to turn up discoveries that will forever change our views of life on earth. President Obama wants to retire the shuttle in favor of an armory of rockets known as Ares, which will lift off with the help of Russian aerospace and privately owned companies. Destined for Mars, the Moon, and beyond- space travel will become more frequent and commonplace, attracting space tourists, as we are already beginning to witness, even now. With probes seeking life light years from here and robots reaching out to every planet in our solar system.... I wonder what will we find? Only the future will tell and these days, the future isn't so distant.