The application of Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) for the sterilisation of spacecraft components

Abstract

The search for past or present extraterrestrial life is one main driver for space missions to habitable planets and moons in our solar system. Especially our neighbour planet Mars, but also Europa and Enceladus, icy moons in the outer solar system, are of high astrobiological interest. In order to find traces of life on another celestial body by in-situ measurements the instruments for life detection have to be very sensitive and the unintended contamination with organic compounds and microorganisms from Earth has to be avoided. The COSPAR’s Planetary Protection Policy and Guidelines specify the maximally allowed bioburden of spacecraft depending on the type of mission, the target and, in the case of Mars, of the landing site (Kminek et al., 2017).