re: #54 lostlakehiker

Science is in its golden age right now. We move from triumph to triumph. But the big prize is proof of exo-life. An oxygen-rich atmosphere somewhere else would serve.

It is indeed the Holy Grail of science, but the resources devoted to it are paltry at best.
Space Interferometry Mission

The Space Interferometry Mission, also known as SIM Lite (formerly known as SIM PlanetQuest), is a planned space telescope being developed by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), in conjunction with contractor Northrop Grumman. One of the main goals of the mission is the hunt for Earth-sized planets orbiting in the habitable zones of nearby stars other than the Sun.
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SIM Lite was originally scheduled for a 2005 launch, aboard an Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV). As a result of continued budget cuts, the launch date has been pushed back at least five times. NASA has set a preliminary launch date for 2015 and U.S. federal budget documents confirm that a launch date is expected “no earlier” than 2015. The budget cuts to SIM Lite are expected to continue through FY 2010.