ABSTRACT
Our ignorance about the rules of biology in our Universe stems from having only one example to study, life on Earth. In the search for another example, tantalizing destinations such as Mars, Europa, Titan, and Enceladus offer humanity an opportunity for exploration as great as those of the
The Galactic Environment for Life-bearing Planets ........................................................................29 Discovery and Properties of Exoplanets ..........................................................................................30 The Statistical Properties of Observed Exoplanets .......................................................................... 32 The Kepler Mission: A Search for Earth-size Planets ...................................................................... 37 References ........................................................................................................................................ 39
great transoceanic voyages of the 15th century. But reconnaissance imaging of the other planets and moons in our Solar System already shows that large life-forms, including intelligent life, do not exist within our Solar System. The hunt for advanced life forces us to venture into the vast Milky Way, many light-years from Earth at least.
