The Astrobiology Drilling Program (ADP) is an international program managed by the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI), aimed at coordinating continental drilling projects of astrobiological significance.

Research into the origin and early evolution of life on Earth has intensified during the last decade in concert with the rapid rise of astrobiology as an emerging discipline. Much has been learned about the nature and ages of crucial sedimentary successions but sampling for indicators of early life (microfossils, biomarker molecules, stable isotope ratios, organosedimentary structures, etc.) has been hampered by the limited availability of unweathered, unoxidized, and uncontaminated rock samples. The ADP will address this difficulty by helping researchers obtain fresh samples from carefully selected geological settings.

The goals of the ADP are to assist in the identification of appropriate targets, the overseeing of procedures for sample distribution and curation, and the promotion of worthwhile proposals to potential funding agencies.

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