Mathematics – Logic
Scientific paper
Dec 2008
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008agufm.p23a1357c&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2008, abstract #P23A-1357
Mathematics
Logic
6020 Ices
Scientific paper
Current missions to the outer planets are returning exciting data about some icy bodies that support hypotheses suggesting liquid water may be present within, and perhaps even near the surfaces, of objects previously assumed to be frozen and inert. Ongoing mission concept studies are developing plans for new spacecraft that would investigate some of these objects in detail, in part motivated by the speculation that where there is water, there may be life. When investigating places where we will search for life, it is very important to ensure that spacecraft are both clean and sterile before launch, since it would be a distinct embarrassment to 'discover life' that is subsequently recognized to be something the discovering spacecraft, or a previous one, had brought from Earth. Efforts to prevent this from happening have been in place since the beginning of the space age, and the activity is termed planetary protection. NASA's planetary protection policy sets limits on the contamination of extraterrestrial bodies by terrestrial microorganisms that are intended to minimize or prevent contamination resulting from spaceflight missions. Requirements for permissible contamination of specific target objects are set and refined based on the best scientific advice available at the time the mission is planned. In 2000, the Space Studies Board of the National Research Council released a study that provided recommendations on preventing the forward contamination of Europa. In 2007 the Planetary Protection Subcommittee of the NASA Advisory Council advised NASA to adopt similar requirements for all liquid water bodies that might be present or induced by spacecraft on or within icy moons and other icy bodies. The Europa requirement that was adopted by NASA uses a probabilistic approach, such that spacecraft sent to a location potentially containing liquid water must demonstrate a probability less than 1x10-4 per mission of contaminating any liquid water body with one single viable terrestrial organism. A number of factors enter into the equation for calculating this probability, including at least bioload at launch, probability of survival during flight, probability of reaching the surface of the body, and probability of surviving to encounter a liquid water body. This presentation will discuss the status of current and anticipated planetary protection considerations for missions to Europa and other icy bodies of the outer Solar System. REFERENCES: "Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies." Entered into force after ratification by the Congress, October 10, 1967 Space Studies Board, National Research Council, Evaluating the Biological Potential in Samples Returned from Planetary Satellites and Small Solar System Bodies, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 1998. Space Studies Board, National Research Council, Preventing the Forward Contamination of Europa, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 2000. Planetary Protection Subcommittee, Recommendations to the NASA Advisory Council, from the meeting held the 6-8 August ,2007, in Cocoa Beach, FL.
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