# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Space Race grew out of a conflict known as the Cold War. While not a war in the traditional sense, the two countries were in a state of military and political tension that lasted nearly 50 years and were involved in proxy wars such as the war in Vietnam.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Fast facts: Are we alone in the universe?

So far, the only life we know of is right here on our planet Earth. But we're looking.

The big question - Is there life beyond Earth? - comes with an ironic asterisk: we don't really have a universally accepted definition of life itself. That said, we might not need one. We need only detect the telltale signs of life in an exoplanet atmosphere, and we have a better understanding of what those look like here on Earth.

The James Webb Space Telescope, launched in 2021, could get the first glimpses: the mix of gases in the atmospheres of Earth-sized exoplanets. Webb, or a similar spacecraft in the future, could pick up signs of an atmosphere like our own - oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane. A strong indication of possible life. Future telescopes might even pick up signs of photosynthesis - the transformation of light into chemical energy by plants - or even gases or molecules suggesting the presence of animal life. Intelligent, technological life might create atmospheric pollution, as it does on our planet, also detectable from afar. Of course, the best we might be able to manage is an estimate of probability. Still, an exoplanet with, say, a 95 percent probability of life would be a game changer of historic proportions.

Life might turn up in our own neighborhood: beneath the Martian surface, perhaps, or in the dark, subsurface oceans of Jupiter's moon, Europa. Or maybe the dream of the ages will come true, and we'll eavesdrop on the communications of extraterrestrial civilizations. We might even capture evidence of "technosignatures," or traces of technology (think smog). Barring these strokes of luck, however, the job will be much harder. Light will be the key - light from the atmospheres of exoplanets, split up into a rainbow spectrum that we can read like a bar code. This method, called transit spectroscopy, would provide a menu of gases and chemicals in the skies of these worlds, including those linked to life.

More than 4,900 exoplanets - planets around other stars - have been confirmed to exist in our galaxy, but likely number in the trillions. One of the best tools scientists have to begin narrowing the search for habitable worlds is a concept known as the "habitable zone." It's the orbital distance from a star where temperatures would potentially allow liquid water to form on a planet's surface. Many other conditions also would be required: a planet of suitable size with a suitable atmosphere, and a stable star not prone to erupting in sterilizing flares. The habitable zone is really just a way to make the first cut, and zero in on the planets with the best chance of possessing habitable conditions.

More: How NASA's Astrobiology Program is looking for life in our solar system and beyond.

Discover More Topics From NASA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
So far, the only life we know of is right here on planet Earth. But NASA is looking for signs of life in our solar system and on some of the the thousands of planets we've discovered beyond it, on exoplanets. We can probe alien atmospheres for biosignatures, which could indicate life below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Scientific Research and Monitoring Cut as Mega-Constellations Set to Takeoff

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Why Earth? Looking for Life on Other Worlds Jul 14, 2022

Earth: our oasis in space. Our solar system includes seven other planets and many moons and other small worlds. But only Earth has all the ingredients for life as we know it. There is no place like home-at least in our neighborhood.
Imagining Other Worlds
So far scientists have yet to find another world like Earth. But people have long imagined Earth-like planets and alien creatures living on them. They have shared their visions through books, movies, and popular culture. What would it take for people to live on another planet? How are scientists trying to find other habitable worlds?

For hundreds of years people thought life could exist nearly everywhere in our solar system. Discoveries made by spacecraft missions to the planets changed that view-but take a look at some of the imaginative ways people thought about life on other worlds in the gallery below.
Investigating Life on Other Worlds
So- can humans live anywhere else in our solar system?

Only the Moon, Mars, and perhaps some of the larger moons of the giant planets-Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune-might support a long-term colony. The giant planets themselves have no hard surfaces to walk on. It is also impossible to survive on many of their moons.

However, according to a NASA study, along with our Moon and Mars, humans might make long term visits to only two of the gas giants' larger moons: Jupiter's Callisto, and Saturn's Titan. Jupiter's and Saturn's other moons are affected by the gas giants' strong radiation fields, and the smaller moons have such low gravity that an explorer's muscles would weaken over time.

That leaves us with Mercury and Venus. Mercury is too close to the Sun to support human life. Its surface temperature averages 800°F (430°C) and is bathed by solar radiation. Venus is even hotter than Mercury. The average surface temperature is hot enough to melt lead. The pressure of the atmosphere is crushing-90 times what we experience on Earth!

So is there any possibility of life on other planets? Finding the answer is a large part of what drives space exploration. One thing we know is that planets change. Earth today looks nothing like it did over four billion years ago when life began.

The movement of Earth's surface by plate tectonics has created the continents we see today. The atmosphere has changed from mostly carbon dioxide to mostly nitrogen and oxygen. Even the saltiness of the oceans has varied over time. These changes have wiped out clues to how life began.

Conductive material at Earth's core generates the magnetic field that surrounds our planet. The magnetic field protects us from the Sun's solar wind, which would blow away our atmosphere. Some of the solar particles are deflected harmlessly toward the poles, where they form auroras-like the well-known aurora borealis, or northern lights.

These characteristics which make Earth unique, or some combination of them, may be essential for creating life and for sustaining it long enough to become intelligent. Some of the earliest evidence of life on Earth are stromatolites-mounds with fossil material created by primitive organisms. These organisms consumed carbon dioxide and released oxygen as waste, building up oxygen in Earth's atmosphere over billions of years. Life that thrived on oxygen evolved.

Despite the fact that we have not yet found life outside of Earth, scientists continue to search for it-in our Museum, NASA centers, and other laboratories worldwide. We've also tried to reach out to other life ... out there. One of the first things humans sent into space was a metal record, similar to a phonograph. Voyager 1 and 2, which launched from Earth in 1977, both carried these records, along with the needle needed to read it, which contained information about Earth and life on it, including sounds and images of life. Who knows if someone will one day hear it?

Related Topics Life sciences Physical science Solar System Small solar system bodies

You may also like
Support the Museum
We rely on the generous support of donors, sponsors, members, and other benefactors to share the history and impact of aviation and spaceflight, educate the public, and inspire future generations. With your help, we can continue to preserve and safeguard the world's most comprehensive collection of artifacts representing the great achievements of flight and space exploration.
Donate Now Become a Member

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why Earth? Looking for Life on Other Worlds

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Why Earth? Looking for Life on Other Worlds Jul 14, 2022 Earth: our oasis in space. Our solar system includes seven other planets and many moons and other small worlds. But only Earth has all the ingredients for life as we know it. There is no place like home-at least in our neighborhood.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
After World War II drew to a close in the mid-20th century, a new conflict began. Known as the Cold War, this battle pitted the world's two great powers-the democratic, capitalist United States and the communist Soviet Union-against each other. Beginning in the late 1950s, space became another dramatic arena for this competition, as each side sought to prove the superiority of its technology, its military firepower and-by extension-its political-economic system.

Causes of the Space Race

By the mid-1950s, the U.S.-Soviet Cold War had worked its way into the fabric of everyday life in both countries, fueled by the arms race and the growing threat of nuclear weapons, wide-ranging espionage and counter-espionage between the two countries, war in Korea and a clash of words and ideas carried out in the media. These tensions would continue throughout the space race, exacerbated by such events as the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 and the outbreak of war in Southeast Asia.

Space exploration served as another dramatic arena for Cold War competition. On October 4, 1957, a Soviet R-7 intercontinental ballistic missile launched Sputnik (Russian for "traveler"), the world's first artificial satellite and the first man-made object to be placed into the Earth's orbit. Sputnik's launch came as a surprise, and not a pleasant one, to most Americans. In the United States, space was seen as the next frontier, a logical extension of the grand American tradition of exploration, and it was crucial not to lose too much ground to the Soviets. In addition, this demonstration of the overwhelming power of the R-7 missile-seemingly capable of delivering a nuclear warhead into U.S. air space-made gathering intelligence about Soviet military activities particularly urgent.

Did you know? After Apollo 11 landed on the moon's surface in July 1969, six more Apollo missions followed by the end of 1972. Arguably the most famous was Apollo 13, whose crew managed to survive an explosion of the oxygen tank in their spacecraft's service module on the way to the moon.

NASA Is Created

In 1958, the United States launched its own satellite, Explorer I, designed by the U.S. Army under the direction of rocket scientist Wernher von Braun. That same year, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a public order creating the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA), a federal agency dedicated to space exploration.

Eisenhower also created two national security-oriented space programs that would operate simultaneously with NASA's program. The first, spearheaded by the U.S. Air Force, dedicated itself to exploiting the military potential of space. The second, led by the Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA), the Air Force and a new organization called the National Reconnaissance Office (the existence of which was kept classified until the early 1990s) was code-named Corona; it would use orbiting satellites to gather intelligence on the Soviet Union and its allies.

Space Race Heats Up: Men (And Chimps) Orbit Earth

In 1959, the Soviet space program took another step forward with the launch of Luna 2, the first space probe to hit the moon. In April 1961, the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person to orbit Earth, traveling in the capsule-like spacecraft Vostok 1. For the U.S. effort to send a man into space, dubbed Project Mercury, NASA engineers designed a smaller, cone-shaped capsule far lighter than Vostok; they tested the craft with chimpanzees and held a final test flight in March 1961 before the Soviets were able to pull ahead with Gagarin's launch. On May 5, astronaut Alan Shepard became the first American in space (though not in orbit).

Later that May, President John F. Kennedy made the bold, public claim that the U.S. would land a man on the moon before the end of the decade. In February 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth, and by the end of that year, the foundations of NASA's lunar landing program-dubbed Project Apollo -were in place.

Achievements of Apollo

From 1961 to 1964, NASA's budget was increased almost 500 percent, and the lunar landing program eventually involved some 34,000 NASA employees and 375,000 employees of industrial and university contractors. Apollo suffered a setback in January 1967, when three astronauts were killed after their spacecraft caught fire during a launch simulation. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union's lunar landing program proceeded tentatively, partly due to internal debate over its necessity and to the untimely death (in January 1966) of Sergey Korolyov, chief engineer of the Soviet space program.

December 1968 saw the launch of Apollo 8, the first manned space mission to orbit the moon, from NASA's massive launch facility on Merritt Island, near Cape Canaveral, Florida. On July 16, 1969, U.S. astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins set off on the Apollo 11 space mission, the first lunar landing attempt. After landing successfully on July 20, Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon's surface; he famously called the momen t "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

Who Won the Space Race?

By landing on the moon, the United States effectively "won" the space race that had begun with Sputnik's launch in 1957. For their part, the Soviets made four failed attempts to launch a lunar landing craft between 1969 and 1972, including a spectacular launch-pad explosion in July 1969. From beginning to end, the American public's attention was captivated by the space race, and the various developments by the Soviet and U.S. space programs were heavily covered in the national media. This frenzy of interest was further encouraged by the new medium of television. Astronauts came to be seen as the ultimate American heroes, and earth-bound men and women seemed to enjoy living vicariously through them. Soviets, in turn, were pictured as the ultimate villains, with their massive, relentless efforts to surpass America and prove the power of the communist system.

With the conclusion of the space race, U.S. government interest in lunar missions waned after the early 1970s. In 1975, the joint Apollo-Soyuz mission sent three U.S. astronauts into space aboard an Apollo spacecraft that docked in orbit with a Soviet-made Soyuz vehicle. When the commanders of the two crafts officially greeted each other, their " handshake in space " served to symbolize the gradual improvement of U.S.-Soviet relations in the late Cold War era.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Space Race: Timeline, Cold War & Facts | HISTORY

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Space Race refers to the period of competition over space exploration between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. during the Cold War.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A Brief History of the Universe: Crash Course Astronomy #44

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Introduction to Astronomy: Crash Course Astronomy #1

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Motivations for space activity

Although the possibility of exploring space has long excited people in many walks of life, for most of the latter 20th century and into the early 21st century, only national governments could afford the very high costs of launching people and machines into space. This reality meant that space exploration had to serve very broad interests, and it indeed has done so in a variety of ways. Government space programs have increased knowledge, served as indicators of national prestige and power, enhanced national security and military strength, and provided significant benefits to the general public. In areas where the private sector could profit from activities in space, most notably the use of satellites as telecommunication relays, commercial space activity has flourished without government funding. In the early 21st century, entrepreneurs believed that there were several other areas of commercial potential in space, most notably privately funded space travel.

In the years after World War II, governments assumed a leading role in the support of research that increased fundamental knowledge about nature, a role that earlier had been played by universities, private foundations, and other nongovernmental supporters. This change came for two reasons. First, the need for complex equipment to carry out many scientific experiments and for the large teams of researchers to use that equipment led to costs that only governments could afford. Second, governments were willing to take on this responsibility because of the belief that fundamental research would produce new knowledge essential to the health, the security, and the quality of life of their citizens. Thus, when scientists sought government support for early space experiments, it was forthcoming. Since the start of space efforts in the United States, the Soviet Union, and Europe, national governments have given high priority to the support of science done in and from space. From modest beginnings, space science has expanded under government support to include multibillion-dollar exploratory missions in the solar system. Examples of such efforts include the development of the Curiosity Mars rover, the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn and its moons, and the development of major space-based astronomical observatories such as the Hubble Space Telescope.

Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev in 1957 used the fact that his country had been first to launch a satellite as evidence of the technological power of the Soviet Union and of the superiority of communism. He repeated these claims after Yuri Gagarin's orbital flight in 1961. Although U.S. Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower had decided not to compete for prestige with the Soviet Union in a space race, his successor, John F. Kennedy, had a different view. On April 20, 1961, in the aftermath of the Gagarin flight, he asked his advisers to identify a "space program which promises dramatic results in which we could win." The response came in a May 8, 1961, memorandum recommending that the United States commit to sending people to the Moon, because "dramatic achievements in space...symbolize the technological power and organizing capacity of a nation" and because the ensuing prestige would be "part of the battle along the fluid front of the cold war." From 1961 until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, competition between the United States and the Soviet Union was a major influence on the pace and content of their space programs. Other countries also viewed having a successful space program as an important indicator of national strength.

Even before the first satellite was launched, U.S. leaders recognized that the ability to observe military activities around the world from space would be an asset to national security. Following on the success of its photoreconnaissance satellites, which began operation in 1960, the United States built increasingly complex observation and electronic-intercept intelligence satellites. The Soviet Union also quickly developed an array of intelligence satellites, and later a few other countries instituted their own satellite observation programs. Intelligence-gathering satellites have been used to verify arms-control agreements, provide warnings of military threats, and identify targets during military operations, among other uses.

In addition to providing security benefits, satellites offered military forces the potential for improved communications, weather observation, navigation, timing, and position location. This led to significant government funding for military space programs in the United States and the Soviet Union. Although the advantages and disadvantages of stationing force-delivery weapons in space have been debated, as of the early 21st century, such weapons had not been deployed, nor had space-based antisatellite systems-that is, systems that can attack or interfere with orbiting satellites. The stationing of weapons of mass destruction in orbit or on celestial bodies is prohibited by international law.

Governments realized early on that the ability to observe Earth from space could provide significant benefits to the general public apart from security and military uses. The first application to be pursued was the development of satellites for assisting in weather forecasting. A second application involved remote observation of land and sea surfaces to gather imagery and other data of value in crop forecasting, resource management, environmental monitoring, and other applications. The U.S., the Soviet Union, Europe, and China also developed their own satellite-based global positioning systems, originally for military purposes, that could pinpoint a user's exact location, help in navigating from one point to another, and provide very precise time signals. These satellites quickly found numerous civilian uses in such areas as personal navigation, surveying and cartography, geology, air-traffic control, and the operation of information-transfer networks. They illustrate a reality that has remained constant for a half century-as space capabilities are developed, they often can be used for both military and civilian purposes.

Another space application that began under government sponsorship but quickly moved into the private sector is the relay of voice, video, and data via orbiting satellites. Satellite telecommunications has developed into a multibillion-dollar business and is the one clearly successful area of commercial space activity. A related, but economically much smaller, commercial space business is the provision of launches for private and government satellites. In 2004 a privately financed venture sent a piloted spacecraft, SpaceShipOne, to the lower edge of space for three brief suborbital flights. Although it was technically a much less challenging achievement than carrying humans into orbit, its success was seen as an important step toward opening up space to commercial travel and eventually to tourism. More than 15 years after SpaceShipOne reached space, several firms began to carry out such suborbital flights. Companies have arisen that also use satellite imagery to provide data for business about economic trends. Suggestions have been made that in the future other areas of space activity, including using resources found on the Moon and near-Earth asteroids and the capture of solar energy to provide electric power on Earth, could become successful businesses.

Most space activities have been pursued because they serve some utilitarian purpose, whether increasing knowledge, adding to national power, or making a profit. Nevertheless, there remains a powerful underlying sense that it is important for humans to explore space for its own sake, "to see what is there." Although the only voyages that humans have made away from the near vicinity of Earth-the Apollo flights to the Moon-were motivated by Cold War competition, there have been recurrent calls for humans to return to the Moon, travel to Mars, and visit other locations in the solar system and beyond. Until humans resume such journeys of exploration, robotic spacecraft will continue to serve in their stead to explore the solar system and probe the mysteries of the universe.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Space exploration | History, Definition, & Facts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Space exploration, investigation, by means of crewed and uncrewed spacecraft, of the reaches of the universe beyond Earth's atmosphere and the use of the information so gained to increase knowledge of the cosmos and benefit humanity. Learn more about space exploration in this article.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
4 min read

Ray Villard
Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md.
410-338-4514

Mathias Jaeger
ESA/Hubble, Garching, Germany
011-49-176-6239-7500

Christopher Conselice
University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
011-44-115-951-5137

Discover More Topics From NASA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Hubble Reveals Observable Universe Contains 10 Times More Galaxies Than Previously Thought - NASA Science

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The universe suddenly looks a lot more crowded than previously though thanks to a deep sky census by Hubble and major observatories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Why Earth? Looking for Life on Other Worlds Jul 14, 2022

Earth: our oasis in space. Our solar system includes seven other planets and many moons and other small worlds. But only Earth has all the ingredients for life as we know it. There is no place like home-at least in our neighborhood.
Imagining Other Worlds
So far scientists have yet to find another world like Earth. But people have long imagined Earth-like planets and alien creatures living on them. They have shared their visions through books, movies, and popular culture. What would it take for people to live on another planet? How are scientists trying to find other habitable worlds?

For hundreds of years people thought life could exist nearly everywhere in our solar system. Discoveries made by spacecraft missions to the planets changed that view-but take a look at some of the imaginative ways people thought about life on other worlds in the gallery below.
Investigating Life on Other Worlds
So- can humans live anywhere else in our solar system?

Only the Moon, Mars, and perhaps some of the larger moons of the giant planets-Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune-might support a long-term colony. The giant planets themselves have no hard surfaces to walk on. It is also impossible to survive on many of their moons.

However, according to a NASA study, along with our Moon and Mars, humans might make long term visits to only two of the gas giants' larger moons: Jupiter's Callisto, and Saturn's Titan. Jupiter's and Saturn's other moons are affected by the gas giants' strong radiation fields, and the smaller moons have such low gravity that an explorer's muscles would weaken over time.

That leaves us with Mercury and Venus. Mercury is too close to the Sun to support human life. Its surface temperature averages 800°F (430°C) and is bathed by solar radiation. Venus is even hotter than Mercury. The average surface temperature is hot enough to melt lead. The pressure of the atmosphere is crushing-90 times what we experience on Earth!

So is there any possibility of life on other planets? Finding the answer is a large part of what drives space exploration. One thing we know is that planets change. Earth today looks nothing like it did over four billion years ago when life began.

The movement of Earth's surface by plate tectonics has created the continents we see today. The atmosphere has changed from mostly carbon dioxide to mostly nitrogen and oxygen. Even the saltiness of the oceans has varied over time. These changes have wiped out clues to how life began.

Conductive material at Earth's core generates the magnetic field that surrounds our planet. The magnetic field protects us from the Sun's solar wind, which would blow away our atmosphere. Some of the solar particles are deflected harmlessly toward the poles, where they form auroras-like the well-known aurora borealis, or northern lights.

These characteristics which make Earth unique, or some combination of them, may be essential for creating life and for sustaining it long enough to become intelligent. Some of the earliest evidence of life on Earth are stromatolites-mounds with fossil material created by primitive organisms. These organisms consumed carbon dioxide and released oxygen as waste, building up oxygen in Earth's atmosphere over billions of years. Life that thrived on oxygen evolved.

Despite the fact that we have not yet found life outside of Earth, scientists continue to search for it-in our Museum, NASA centers, and other laboratories worldwide. We've also tried to reach out to other life ... out there. One of the first things humans sent into space was a metal record, similar to a phonograph. Voyager 1 and 2, which launched from Earth in 1977, both carried these records, along with the needle needed to read it, which contained information about Earth and life on it, including sounds and images of life. Who knows if someone will one day hear it?

Related Topics Life sciences Physical science Solar System Small solar system bodies

You may also like
Support the Museum
We rely on the generous support of donors, sponsors, members, and other benefactors to share the history and impact of aviation and spaceflight, educate the public, and inspire future generations. With your help, we can continue to preserve and safeguard the world's most comprehensive collection of artifacts representing the great achievements of flight and space exploration.
Donate Now Become a Member

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why Earth? Looking for Life on Other Worlds

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Why Earth? Looking for Life on Other Worlds Jul 14, 2022 Earth: our oasis in space. Our solar system includes seven other planets and many moons and other small worlds. But only Earth has all the ingredients for life as we know it. There is no place like home-at least in our neighborhood.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Why We Go to Space

At NASA, we explore the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all, creating new opportunities and inspiring the world through discovery.

NASA's exploration vision is anchored in providing value for humanity by answering some of the most fundamental questions: Why are we here? How did it all begin? Are we all alone? What comes next? And, as an addendum to that: How can we make our lives better?

NASA was created more than half a century ago to begin answering some of these questions. Since then, space exploration has been one of the most unifying, borderless human endeavors to date. An international partnership of five space agencies from 15 countries operates the International Space Station, and two dozen countries have signed the Artemis Accords, signaling their commitment to shared values for long-term human exploration and research at the Moon. Through space exploration, we gain a new perspective to study Earth and the solar system. We advance new technologies that improve our daily lives, and we inspire a new generation of artists, thinkers, tinkerers, engineers, and scientists.

Unite with us on our journey to explore.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
At NASA, we explore the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all, creating new opportunities and inspiring the world through discovery.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Do aliens exist? Extraterrestrial life has never been discovered, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. At NASA, astrobiologists like Lindsay Hays are trying to answer one of the most profound questions ever: Is there life beyond Earth?

Do aliens exist? This is a really interesting question and one that NASA has been trying to understand, explore, and figure out for a long time. We have not yet discovered life on any other planet, and we have not seen any scientifically supported evidence for extraterrestrial life.

But if we think about life on this planet, beyond the big things - the elephants, the whales, redwoods trees -- and focus on the tiny things, nearly everywhere on Earth that we've looked, we've found microbial life.

Our definition of habitable environments continues to expand. Off the Earth we've only begun to look. NASA has sent five rovers and four landers to the surface of Mars. Additionally, orbiters have been outfitted with some amazing cameras to take pictures of the whole surface of the Red Planet. But we've only explored a tiny fraction of Mars. And that's only one of the promising bodies to look for life in our solar system.

There are icy moons in the outer solar system like Saturn's moon Enceladus and Jupiter's moon Europa that look like they may have subsurface oceans that could be habitable. And that's just what's in our solar system. The more exoplanets we find around other stars, the more we learn about how many different environments could exist for life.

We can't yet say for sure whether or not aliens exist. To quote Carl Sagan: "The universe is a pretty big place. If it's just us, it seems like an awful waste of space." So, NASA will keep looking.

Learn more about the NASA Astrobiology Program: https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/

[END VIDEO TRANSCRIPT]
Full Episode List

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Do Aliens Exist? We Asked a NASA Scientist: Episode 5 - NASA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Do aliens exist? Extraterrestrial life has never been discovered, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. At NASA, astrobiologists like Lindsay Hays are