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

Rettberg, Petra and Anesio, Alexandre M. and Baker, Victor R. and Baross, John A. and Cady, Sherry L. and Detsis, E. and Foreman, Christine M. and Hauber, Ernst and Ori, Gian Gabriele and Pearce, David A. and Renno, Nilton O. and Ruvkun, Gary and Sattler, Birgit and Saunders, Mark P. and Smith, David H. and Wagner, Dirk and Westall, Frances (2016) Planetary Protection and Mars Special Regions—A Suggestion for Updating the Definition. Astrobiology, 16 (2), pp. 119-125. Mary Ann Liebert Inc.. doi: 10.1089/ast.2016.1472. ISSN 1531-1074.

Full text not available from this repository.

Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/ast.2016.1472

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 SRSAG2 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.

Item URL in elib:

https://elib.dlr.de/102929/

Document Type:

Article

Title:

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

Authors:

Authors	Institution or Email of Authors	Author's ORCID iD
Rettberg, Petra	institute of aerospace medicine, radiation biology division, german aerospace center (dlr e.v.), linder höhe, 51147 cologne, germany	https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4439-2395
Anesio, Alexandre M.	Bristol Glaciology Centre, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.	UNSPECIFIED
Baker, Victor R.	Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA.	UNSPECIFIED
Baross, John A.	School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.	UNSPECIFIED
Cady, Sherry L.	Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington, USA.	UNSPECIFIED
Detsis, E.	Space Sciences Group, European Science Foundation, Strasbourg, France.	UNSPECIFIED
Foreman, Christine M.	Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA.	UNSPECIFIED
Hauber, Ernst	Department of Planetary Geology, German Aerospace Centre, Berlin, Germany.	UNSPECIFIED
Ori, Gian Gabriele	International Research School of Planetary Sciences, Universita d’Annunzio, Pescara, Italy.	UNSPECIFIED
Pearce, David A.	Department of Applied Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK.	UNSPECIFIED
Renno, Nilton O.	College of Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.	UNSPECIFIED
Ruvkun, Gary	Richard B. Simches Research Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.	UNSPECIFIED
Sattler, Birgit	Austrian Polar Research Institute, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.	UNSPECIFIED
Saunders, Mark P.	Langley Research Center, NASA, Hampton, Virginia, USA (Retired).	UNSPECIFIED
Smith, David H.	Space Studies Board, National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, Washington, DC, USA.	UNSPECIFIED
Wagner, Dirk	German Research Centre for Geosciences Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.	UNSPECIFIED
Westall, Frances	Centre de biophysique moléculaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Orléans, France.	UNSPECIFIED

Date:

2016

Journal or Publication Title:

Astrobiology

Refereed publication:

Yes

Open Access:

Gold Open Access:

In SCOPUS:

Yes

In ISI Web of Science:

Yes

Volume:

DOI:

10.1089/ast.2016.1472

Page Range:

pp. 119-125

Publisher:

Mary Ann Liebert Inc.

ISSN:

1531-1074

Status:

Published

Keywords:

Planetary protection, Mars Special Regions, COSPAR policy, Astrobiology

HGF - Research field:

Aeronautics, Space and Transport

HGF - Program:

Space

HGF - Program Themes:

Research under Space Conditions

DLR - Research area:

Raumfahrt

DLR - Program:

R FR - Research under Space Conditions

DLR - Research theme (Project):

R - Vorhaben Strahlenbiologie (old)

Location:

Berlin-Adlershof , Köln-Porz

Institutes and Institutions:

Institute of Aerospace Medicine > Radiation Biology
Institute of Planetary Research > Planetary Geology

Deposited By:

Kopp, Kerstin

Deposited On:

11 Feb 2016 11:25

Last Modified:

06 Sep 2019 15:23

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