Planetary Protection and Mars Special Regions — A Suggestion for Updating the Definition

Petra Rettberg; Anesio Alexandre; Victor Baker; Sherry Cady; Emmanouil Detsis; Christine Foreman; Ernst Hauber; Gian Ori; David Pearce; Nilton Renno; Gary Ruvkun; Birgit Sattler; Mark Saunders; David H. Smith; Dirk Wagner; Frances Westall

doi:10.1089/ast.2016.1472

Planetary Protection and Mars Special Regions — A Suggestion for Updating the Definition

Petra Rettberg, Anesio Alexandre, Victor Baker, Sherry Cady, Emmanouil Detsis, Christine Foreman, Ernst Hauber, Gian Ori, David Pearce, Nilton Renno, Gary Ruvkun, Birgit Sattler, Mark Saunders, David H. Smith, Dirk Wagner, Frances Westall

Applied Sciences Department

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

33 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We highlight the role of COSPAR and the scientific community in defining and updating the framework of planetary protection. Specifically, we focus on Mars “Special Regions,” areas where strict planetary protection measures have to be applied before a spacecraft can explore them, given the existence of environmental conditions that may be conducive to terrestrial microbial growth. We outline the history of the concept of Special Regions and inform on recent developments regarding the COSPAR policy, namely, the MEPAG SR-SAG2 review and the Academies and ESF joint committee report on Mars Special Regions. We present some new issues that necessitate the update of the current policy and provide suggestions for new definitions of Special Regions. We conclude with the current major scientific questions that remain unanswered regarding Mars Special Regions.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	119-125
Journal	Astrobiology
Volume	16
Issue number	2
Early online date	5 Feb 2016
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2016.1472
Publication status	Published - 16 Feb 2016

Keywords

Planetary protection
Mars Special Regions
COSPAR policy

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10.1089/ast.2016.1472

Cite this

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title = "Planetary Protection and Mars Special Regions — A Suggestion for Updating the Definition",

abstract = "We highlight the role of COSPAR and the scientific community in defining and updating the framework of planetary protection. Specifically, we focus on Mars “Special Regions,” areas where strict planetary protection measures have to be applied before a spacecraft can explore them, given the existence of environmental conditions that may be conducive to terrestrial microbial growth. We outline the history of the concept of Special Regions and inform on recent developments regarding the COSPAR policy, namely, the MEPAG SR-SAG2 review and the Academies and ESF joint committee report on Mars Special Regions. We present some new issues that necessitate the update of the current policy and provide suggestions for new definitions of Special Regions. We conclude with the current major scientific questions that remain unanswered regarding Mars Special Regions.",

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AU - Rettberg, Petra

AU - Alexandre, Anesio

AU - Baker, Victor

AU - Cady, Sherry

AU - Detsis, Emmanouil

AU - Foreman, Christine

AU - Hauber, Ernst

AU - Ori, Gian

AU - Pearce, David

AU - Renno, Nilton

AU - Ruvkun, Gary

AU - Sattler, Birgit

AU - Saunders, Mark

AU - Smith, David H.

AU - Wagner, Dirk

AU - Westall, Frances

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N2 - We highlight the role of COSPAR and the scientific community in defining and updating the framework of planetary protection. Specifically, we focus on Mars “Special Regions,” areas where strict planetary protection measures have to be applied before a spacecraft can explore them, given the existence of environmental conditions that may be conducive to terrestrial microbial growth. We outline the history of the concept of Special Regions and inform on recent developments regarding the COSPAR policy, namely, the MEPAG SR-SAG2 review and the Academies and ESF joint committee report on Mars Special Regions. We present some new issues that necessitate the update of the current policy and provide suggestions for new definitions of Special Regions. We conclude with the current major scientific questions that remain unanswered regarding Mars Special Regions.

AB - We highlight the role of COSPAR and the scientific community in defining and updating the framework of planetary protection. Specifically, we focus on Mars “Special Regions,” areas where strict planetary protection measures have to be applied before a spacecraft can explore them, given the existence of environmental conditions that may be conducive to terrestrial microbial growth. We outline the history of the concept of Special Regions and inform on recent developments regarding the COSPAR policy, namely, the MEPAG SR-SAG2 review and the Academies and ESF joint committee report on Mars Special Regions. We present some new issues that necessitate the update of the current policy and provide suggestions for new definitions of Special Regions. We conclude with the current major scientific questions that remain unanswered regarding Mars Special Regions.

KW - Planetary protection

KW - Mars Special Regions

KW - COSPAR policy

U2 - 10.1089/ast.2016.1472

DO - 10.1089/ast.2016.1472

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JO - Astrobiology

JF - Astrobiology

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Planetary Protection and Mars Special Regions — A Suggestion for Updating the Definition

Abstract

Keywords

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