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

Petra Rettberg; Alexandre M. Anesio; Victor R. Baker; John A. Baross; Sherry L. Cady; Emmanouil Detsis; Christine M. Foreman; Ernst Hauber; Gian Gabriele Ori; David A. Pearce; Nilton O. Renno; Gary Ruvkun; Birgit Sattler; Mark P. 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, Alexandre M. Anesio, Victor R. Baker, John A. Baross, Sherry L. Cady, Emmanouil Detsis, Christine M. Foreman, Ernst Hauber, Gian Gabriele Ori, David A. Pearce, Nilton O. Renno, Gary Ruvkun, Birgit Sattler, Mark P. Saunders, David H. Smith, Dirk Wagner, Frances Westall

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

33 Scopus citations

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 (US)
Pages (from-to)	119-125
Number of pages	7
Journal	Astrobiology
Volume	16
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2016.1472
State	Published - Feb 2016

Keywords

COSPAR policy
Mars special regions
Planetary protection

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1089/ast.2016.1472

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Rettberg, P., Anesio, A. M., Baker, V. R., Baross, J. A., Cady, S. L., Detsis, E., Foreman, C. M., Hauber, E., Ori, G. G., Pearce, D. A., Renno, N. O., Ruvkun, G., Sattler, B., Saunders, M. P., Smith, D. H., Wagner, D., & Westall, F. (2016). Planetary Protection and Mars Special Regions - A Suggestion for Updating the Definition. Astrobiology, 16(2), 119-125. https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2016.1472

Rettberg, P, Anesio, AM, Baker, VR, Baross, JA, Cady, SL, Detsis, E, Foreman, CM, Hauber, E, Ori, GG, Pearce, DA, Renno, NO, Ruvkun, G, Sattler, B, Saunders, MP, Smith, DH, Wagner, D & Westall, F 2016, 'Planetary Protection and Mars Special Regions - A Suggestion for Updating the Definition', Astrobiology, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 119-125. https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2016.1472

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

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