As the Alicanto Mission may have a chapter on Astrobiology (the understanding of the origin of life on Earth and the possibility of finding life elsewhere in the Universe), one of our team members (Armando Azua-Bustos) recently went to the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil for a 10 day advanced course on this subject.

Along with lectures, workshops and field expeditions, new contacts were made and old one were strengthened, making the whole experience very fruitful. In particular, new contacts were made with researchers of the Ames Center of NASA, and with a Russian team who may pave the way for sending biological samples in orbit using an exposure apparatus on a Russian satellite.

Armando at LNLS, the Synchrotron at Campinas, Brazil. Armando has previously performed experiments twice at this place.

Chilean researchers that attended the course. From left to right, Cristian Arenas, Armando Azua-Bustos and Catalina Urrejola.

Armando giving a presentation on the possibilities of finding life on Titan, a moon of Jupiter.