SEARCH FOR LIFE ON ICY MOONS - WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW FOR PLANETARY PROTECTION?

Abstract

Planetary protection aims at the preservation of our ability to study planets and moons of astrobiological interest as they exist in their natural state. The contamination with Earth organisms and organics (potential biosignatures) would give false positive results with severe impacts on future exploratory missions. In addition, the Earth's biosphere has to be protected in case of returning extraterrestrial samples. In the past COSPAR's planetary protection policy has mainly focused on the prevention of biological contamination. While the requirements for Mars and the guidelines for their implementation are based on decades of experience the necessary measures for outer solar system bodies, here especially Europa and Enceladus, are less developed. They are based on conservative estimates of poorly known parameters. In the PPOSS project (EC H2020 Grant Agreement 687373) the actual knowledge of the environmental conditions on icy moons and other outer solar system bodies, the geological processes restructuring the icy moons' surfaces and the effects of these environmental parameters on Earth organisms with respect to their capability to survive and to replicate are critically looked at to identify knowledge gaps, recommend further scientifc investigations to specify the requirements in more detail, to identify necessary technological developments and to suggest updates of COSPAR's planetary protection policy. These activities will be summarized in a Research White Book that will be available end 2017.