Astrobiology topics are: 1) Origin and evolution of planetary systems; 2) Origins of organic compounds in space; 3) Rock-water-carbon interactions, organic synthesis on Earth, and steps to life; 4) Life and habitability; 5) Biosignatures as facilitating life detection. In November 2011, NASA launched the Mars Science Laboratory mission carrying the "Curiosity" rover, which landed on Mars at Gale Crater in August 2012. The "Curiosity" rover is currently probing the environment for past and present planetary habitability of microbial life on Mars. On 9 December 2013, NASA reported that, based on evidence from "Curiosity" studying Aeolis Palus, Gale Crater contained an ancient
Mission: Earth, Voyage to the Home Planet and Jones later produced another collaborative work, "Scholastic Encyclopedia of the United States at War", which was published in 1998. Jones wrote another book about his experiences in space, "Sky Walking: An Astronaut's Memoir", which was published in 2006. In "Mission: Earth, Voyage to the Home Planet", astronaut Thomas David Jones recounts his experiences studying the Earth during his first mission with the United States space agency NASA. Jones' space mission lasted eleven days. Jones was a member of the crew of the Space Shuttle "Endeavour", which left Earth in April 1994. The mission was intended to provide the Space