EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFPN) -- Air Force flight test
experts, NASA researchers, and a team of 42 astrobiologists from
seven countries depart here Nov. 15 for a mission to Spain to
observe and collect data on both of this year's Leonid meteor
showers. The scientists will look for clues to the diversity of
comets and their impact on the chemistry of life's origin on
Earth. RELATED LINKS Printable VersionDr. Michael Meyer, a
senior scientist for astrobiology at NASA headquarters in
Washington is among the researchers who are looking for answers
as to whether meteors might have showered the Earth with the
molecules necessary for life's origin. According to Meyer, the
team is eager to find out what material from space rains down on
Earth and what happens to the organic matter when it interacts
with the atmosphere. The researchers are expecting to observe
the first storm peak Nov. 18 at 11 p.m. EST just after departing
from Torrejon Air Base, Spain. Then they will observe the second
storm at 5:30 a.m. Nov