Planetary Protection

Planetary Protection at NASA:Overview and Status

Catharine A. Conley, NASA Planetary Protection Officer

4 August, 2010

Planetary Protection

Goals of NASA Planetary Science

• Advance scientific knowledge on the origins and history of the solar system, the potential for life elsewhere, and the hazards and resources present as humans explore space.

– How did the Sun's family of planets and minor bodies originate?

– How did the solar system evolve to its current diverse state?

– What are the characteristics of the solar system that led to the origin of life?

– How did life begin and evolve on Earth, and has it evolved elsewhere in our solar system?

– What are the hazards and resources in the solar system environment that will affect the extension of the human presence in space?

Planetary Environments are Diverse

Interior environments may be more similar to Earth: - possible subsurface oceans, both hot and cold - subsurface rock, similar (?) to inhabited Earth rocks

The unaltered surfaces of most planets are cold, and by being cold, are dry - spacecraft can change this

Planetary Protection

NASA Planetary Protection Policy

• The policy and its implementation requirements are embodied in NPD 8020.7G (NASA Administrator)

– Planetary Protection Officer acts on behalf of the Aassociate Administrator for Science to maintain and enforce the policy

– NASA obtains recommendations on planetary protection issues (requirements for specific bodies and mission types) from the National Research Council’s Space Studies Board

– Advice on policy implementation to be obtained from the NAC Planetary Protection Subcommittee

• Specific requirements for robotic missions are embodied in NPR 8020.12C (AA, SMD)

– Encompasses all documentation and implementation requirements for forward and back-contamination control

• Future requirements for human missions are being studied with a broad science and exploration focus (Initial recommendations for Mars developed in 2001; Further refined in 2005; NPR planned responding to human exploration initiatives)

Planetary Protection

Role of thePlanetary Protection Officer (NPD 8020.7G)

• Designee of the SMD Associate Administrator, responsible for managing planetary protection policy:– Prescribes standards, procedures, and guidelines applicable to all

NASA organizations, programs, and activities to achieve policy objectives

– Certifies to the SMD AA that missions are compliant• Before launch

• If returning samples, before initiating return and again before Earth entry

– Conducts reviews, inspections, and evaluations of plans, facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and practices of NASA organizational elements and NASA contractors

– Keeps the SMD AA (and, as appropriate, the Administrator) informed of developments, and takes action to ensure compliance with applicable NASA policies and requirements

Planetary Protection

Routine Advisory Needs

• A number of areas on which advice is very valuable are at a level of detail not appropriate for the Space Studies Board

– Reviewing mission activities and providing advice on implementation options

– Making recommendations on specific points of policy that are not specified by the of international policy set by the Panel on Planetary Protection of the Committee on Space Research

– Providing guidance regarding programmatic direction and issues of importance/relevance to future missions and implementation of planetary protection requirements

Planetary Protection

Missions under Consideration

• Several missions in operation or in preparation are facing issues on which advice would be useful

– The Cassini Solstice Extended Mission must provide an Extended Mission Planetary Protection Plan, including an acceptable end of mission scenario

– The Odyssey Mars Orbiter is preparing a request to eliminate the orbit raise maneuver from their planetary protection implementation approach, that will require reducing conservatism in the models

– The Juno project is finalizing their planetary protection implementation approach

– Upcoming mission planning, for Mars Sample Return and the Outer Planets Flagship, could benefit from input on implementation options, particularly in the context of joint implementation with ESA

Planetary Protection

The number of organisms of type X that could survive on a planetary body is based on

the initial contamination level [NX0] and various survival factors:

NXs = NX0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7

F1—Total number of cells relative to assayed cells (NX0)

F2—Bioburden reduction survival fraction, when applied

F3—Cruise survival fraction

F4—Radiation survival fraction

F5—Probability of impacting a protected body, including spacecraft failure modes

F6—Probability that an organism survives impact

F7—Burial survival fraction

(probability of growth given introduction is assumed to be 1)

Where the organisms of type X are defined as:Type A: Typical, common microorganisms of all types (bacteria, fungi, etc.);Type B: Spores of microorganisms, which are known to be resistant to insults

(e.g., desiccation, heat, radiation);Type C: Dormant microorganisms (e.g., spores) that are especially radiation-resistant; andType D: Rare but highly radiation resistant non-spore microorganisms (e.g.,

Deinococcus radiodurans).

Preventing Contamination of Solar System BodiesExample with some relevant factors

Cassini at Saturn

Prepare for the unexpected...

Planetary Protection

Updates to Policy and Requirements

• Discussions both within NASA and at the international level highlight several areas that would benefit from attention

– Current requirements for Mars do not consider explicitly the reliability of Entry, Descent, and Landing: future missions propose to use increasingly complex EDL approaches

– Human error appears to have contributed to the failure of the Mars Global Surveyor mission: how might it be appropriate to include mitigation approaches as part of future requirements

– An international Mars Sample Return mission set is currently being planned by NASA and ESA: as the first mission with a Restricted Earth Return designation, this will require additional definition of planetary protection requirements

MATT-3 Interim Report: for discussion purposes only

Mars Panel Meeting Sept. 9-10 2009 12

12

Launch Year

MAVENMAVEN

Mars ScienceLaboratory

MAX-C

MarsNetwork

Mars Sample Return

ExoMars(ESA)

ExoMars/TGO(ESA/NASA)

Pre-decisional – for planning and discussion purposes only

2016 2018 2020 and Beyond20132011Recent Past & Present

Expected Mars Exploration Program Timeline & Missions

ODYODY

MGSMGS MEX(ESA)MEX(ESA)

MROMRO

SpiritSpirit

OpportunityOpportunity

PHXPHX

TheTorquemada

Approach

VikingLife Detection Package

Terminal Sterilization

Works

Planetary Protection

Programmatic Considerations

• An increasing number of missions are proposing to target locations of concern for planetary protection, both Mars and Outer Planets

– Technology development for planetary protection, beyond basic research, has historically been left to missions: most implementation approaches are still based on Viking heritage

– The new direction for human spaceflight proposed by the Obama Administration highlights the need to elaborate at the level of NASA the guidelines for human exploration that were accepted by COSPAR in 2008

– Increasing international exploration activities are raising a range of concerns beyond the current purview of NASA planetary protection: e.g., commercial exploration and historical/environmental protection

Select samples to meet geologic and life-detection science objectives

International interest may bring the possibility of productive partnerships

Mars Sample Return

Should Humans Be Allowed on Mars?Key Points:

• It is conceptually possible to develop systems, approaches and operational plans to enable safe, productive human missions in remote, hostile martian environments

• PP will affect design, operations and costs of EVA, life support, environmental health, and scientific systems

• Risk of contamination will be an element of each human mission that can not be avoided, but only characterized, evaluated, and controlled.

• In June, 2001, Human Exploration and Planetary Protection were considered in Pingree Park, Colorado

• In April and May, 2005, subsequent workshops were held in Houston, Texas and in Noordwijk, The Netherlands

Warning: The

And scattered about...were the Martians–dead!–slain by the putrefactive and disease bacteria against which their systems were unpre-pared; slain as the red weed was being slain; slain, after all man's deviceshad failed, by the humblest things that God, in his wisdom, has put upon this earth.

...By virtue of this natural selection of our kind we have developed resisting power; to no germs do we succumb without a struggle...

H.G. Wells Orson Welles 1898 1938

Beware!