Title Assessment of planetary protection requirements for spacecraft missions to icy solar system bodies / Committee on Planetary Protection Standards for Icy Bodies in the Outer Solar System, Space Studies Board, Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences, National Research Council of the National Academies

Published Washington, D.C. : National Academies Press, ©2012

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Description 1 online resource (x, 83 pages) : illustrations (some color) Contents Current status of planetary protection policies for icy bodies -- Binary decision trees -- Hierarchical decisions for planetary protection -- A geophysical perspective and inventory of habitable environments on icy bodies -- Microbial metabolism and physiology -- Necessary research Summary "NASA's exploration of planets and satellites during the past 50 years has led to the discovery of traces of water ice throughout the solar system and prospects for large liquid water reservoirs beneath the frozen ICE shells of multiple satellites of the giant planets of the outer solar system. During the coming decades, NASA and other space agencies will send flybys, orbiters, subsurface probes, and, possibly, landers to these distant worlds in order to explore their geologic and chemical context. Because of their potential to harbor alien life, NASA will select missions that target the most habitable outer solar system objects. This strategy poses formidable challenges for mission planners who must balance the opportunity for exploration with the risk of contamination by Earth's microbes, which could confuse the interpretation of data obtained from these objects. The 2000 NRC report Preventing the Forward Contamination of Europa provided a criterion that was adopted with prior recommendations from the Committee on Space Research of the International Council for Science. This current NRC report revisits and extends the findings and recommendations of the 2000 Europa report in light of recent advances in planetary and life sciences and, among other tasks, assesses the risk of contamination of icy bodies in the solar system"--Publisher's description Bibliography Includes bibliographical references Notes Print version record Subject Planets -- Exploration. Planets -- Exploration -- Protection Planets -- Water. Microbial metabolism. Microorganisms -- Physiology. SCIENCE -- Life Sciences -- Evolution. Planets -- Exploration Exploration of outer space Microbial metabolism Microorganisms -- Physiology Planets -- Water SUBJECT Outer space -- Exploration. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85096159 Outer space -- Exploration -- Protection Subject Outer space Form Electronic book Author National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Planetary Protection Standards for Icy Bodies in the Outer Solar System. ISBN 9780309256766 0309256763 128363614X 9781283636148 6613948608 9786613948601

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