Experts Discuss How to Find Another Earth

Hundreds of space station planets have been discovered outside of our solar system, but conspicuously absent from the list are ones that resemble Earth. On May 29 and 30, space shuttle astronomers and space station scientists from all around the world will gather in Pasadena to discuss how we might find another Earth, and how we might detect possible life on it.

The third annual Exoplanet Forum, sponsored by JPL and NASAs solar system Exoplanet Exploration Program, will focus on the types of future space missions that could be used to locate and characterize planets beyond our solar system, called exoplanets. Space Technologies that will be discussed range from those that would directly image an exoplanet, to those that would detect a planet by measuring the dip it produces in its stars and galaxy light as it passes by. Findings from the meeting will be published in a book that will be used for the next Space System Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey, a National Research Council report that helps sets the priorities for federal spending in the astronomy field.

For more information about the NASAs Space station Exoplanet Exploration Program and the Space Shuttle Exoplanet Forum and Space Galary, visit http://exep.jpl.nasa.gov/ and http://exep.jpl.nasa.gov/exep_exForum.cfm .