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REVIEW article

Front. Astron. Space Sci.
Sec. Astrobiology
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fspas.2024.1422898

Icy Ocean Worlds - Astrobiology Research in Germany

Provisionally accepted
Fabian Klenner Fabian Klenner 1*Mickael Baqué Mickael Baqué 2Kristina Beblo-Vranesevic Kristina Beblo-Vranesevic 3Janine Bönigk Janine Bönigk 4Marc Boxberg Marc Boxberg 5Bernd Dachwald Bernd Dachwald 6Ilya Digel Ilya Digel 6Andreas Elsaesser Andreas Elsaesser 4Clemens Espe Clemens Espe 7Oliver Funke Oliver Funke 3Ernst Hauber Ernst Hauber 2Dirk Heinen Dirk Heinen 5Florence Hofmann Florence Hofmann 4Lucía Hortal Sánchez Lucía Hortal Sánchez 4Nozair Khawaja Nozair Khawaja 4Maryse Napoleoni Maryse Napoleoni 4Ana-Catalina Plesa Ana-Catalina Plesa 2Frank Postberg Frank Postberg 4Autun Purser Autun Purser 8Tina Rückriemen-Bez Tina Rückriemen-Bez 2Susanne Schröder Susanne Schröder 2Dirk Schulze-Makuch Dirk Schulze-Makuch 10,11,12,9Stephan Ulamec Stephan Ulamec 3Jean-Pierre P. de Vera Jean-Pierre P. de Vera 3*
  • 1 University of Washington, Seattle, United States
  • 2 German Aerospace Center (DLR) Berlin, Germany, Berlin, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
  • 3 German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
  • 4 Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
  • 5 RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
  • 6 University of Applied Sciences Aachen, Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
  • 7 Society for System Development and Instrumentation mbH, Aachen, Germany
  • 8 Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Bremerhaven, Bremen, Germany
  • 9 Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Brandenburg, Germany
  • 10 GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany
  • 11 Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Berlin, Germany
  • 12 Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Icy bodies with subsurface oceans are a prime target for astrobiology investigations, with an increasing number of scientists participating in the planning, development, and realization of space missions to these worlds. Within Germany, the Ocean Worlds and Icy Moons working group of the German Astrobiology Society provides an invaluable platform for scientists and engineers from universities and other organizations with a passion for icy ocean worlds to share knowledge and start collaborations. We here present an overview about astrobiology research activities related to icy ocean worlds conducted either in Germany or in strong collaboration with scientists in Germany. With recent developments, Germany offers itself as a partner to contribute to icy ocean world missions.

    Keywords: Subsurface oceans, space missions, habitability, Icy Moons, Solar system exploration, Deutsche Astrobiologische Gesellschaft (DAbG), Ocean worlds, German Aerospace Center (DLR)

    Received: 24 Apr 2024; Accepted: 22 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Klenner, Baqué, Beblo-Vranesevic, Bönigk, Boxberg, Dachwald, Digel, Elsaesser, Espe, Funke, Hauber, Heinen, Hofmann, Hortal Sánchez, Khawaja, Napoleoni, Plesa, Postberg, Purser, Rückriemen-Bez, Schröder, Schulze-Makuch, Ulamec and de Vera. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Fabian Klenner, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
    Jean-Pierre P. de Vera, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Cologne, 51147, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.