Searching for evidence of life on Mars should be the main scientific objective for the first human missions to the Red Planet, according to a major new report.

The report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) provides the strongest case yet for sending people to the surface of Mars, rather than just rovers and robots.

Crewed missions could engage in activities and make scientific discoveries that would be otherwise impossible with robotic exploration tools alone, the report’s authors noted.

“The first human landing on Mars will be the most significant moment for human space exploration since we first set foot on the Moon over 50 years ago,” said Linda T. Elkins-Tanton, a principal investigator on Nasa ’s Psyche mission, who co-chaired the commi

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