Icebreaker Life is a Mars lander mission concept proposed to NASA's Discovery Program.[5] The mission involves a stationary lander that would be a near copy of the successful 2008 Phoenix and InSight spacecraft, but would carry an astrobiology scientific payload, including a drill to sample ice-cemented ground in the northern plains to conduct a search for biosignatures of current or past life on Mars.[1][6]
The science goals for Icebreaker Life focus on sampling ice-cemented ground for its potential to preserve and protect biomolecules or biosignatures.[2][7]
Icebreaker Life was not selected during the 2015 or 2019 Discovery Program competitions.
^ abcChoi, Charles Q. (16 May 2013). "Icebreaker Life Mission". Astrobiology Magazine. Archived from the original on 2020-09-23. Retrieved 2013-07-01.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^McKay, Christopher P.; Carol R. Stoker; Brian J. Glass; Arwen I. Davé; Alfonso F. Davila; Jennifer L. Heldmann; Margarita M. Marinova; Alberto G. Fairen; Richard C. Quinn; Kris A. Zacny; Gale Paulsen; Peter H. Smith; Victor Parro; Dale T. Andersen; Michael H. Hecht; Denis Lacelle & Wayne H. Pollard (April 5, 2013). "The Icebreaker Life Mission to Mars: A Search for Biomolecular Evidence for Life". Astrobiology. 13 (4): 334–353. Bibcode:2013AsBio..13..334M. doi:10.1089/ast.2012.0878. PMID23560417.
^McKay, C. P.; Carol R. Stoker; Brian J. Glass; Arwen I. Davé; Alfonso F. Davila; Jennifer L. Heldmann; Margarita M. Marinova; Alberto G. Fairen; Richard C. Quinn; Kris A. Zacny; Gale Paulsen; Peter H. Smith; Victor Parro; Dale T. Andersen; Michael H. Hecht; Denis Lacelle & Wayne H. Pollard (2012). "THE ICEBREAKER LIFE MISSION TO MARS: A SEARCH FOR BIOCHEMICAL EVIDENCE FOR LIFE"(PDF). Concepts and Approaches for Mars Exploration. Lunar and Planetary Institute.