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

Petra Rettberg; Alexandre M B 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 B 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

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

18 Citations (Scopus)

445 Downloads (Pure)

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
Pages (from-to)	119-125
Number of pages	7
Journal	Astrobiology
Volume	16
Issue number	2
Early online date	5 Feb 2016
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2016.1472
Publication status	Published - 16 Feb 2016

Keywords

COSPAR policy
Mars special regions
Planetary protection

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10.1089/ast.2016.1472

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Rettberg, P., Anesio, A. M. B., 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, Petra ; Anesio, Alexandre M B ; Baker, Victor R. ; Baross, John A. ; Cady, Sherry L. ; Detsis, Emmanouil ; Foreman, Christine M. ; Hauber, Ernst ; Ori, Gian Gabriele ; Pearce, David A. ; Renno, Nilton O. ; Ruvkun, Gary ; Sattler, Birgit ; Saunders, Mark P. ; Smith, David H ; Wagner, Dirk ; Westall, Frances. / Planetary Protection and Mars Special Regions—A Suggestion for Updating the Definition. In: Astrobiology. 2016 ; Vol. 16, No. 2. pp. 119-125.

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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.",

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Rettberg, P, Anesio, AMB, 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

Planetary Protection and Mars Special Regions—A Suggestion for Updating the Definition. / Rettberg, Petra; Anesio, Alexandre M B; Baker, Victor R.; Baross, John A.; Cady, Sherry L.; Detsis, Emmanouil; Foreman, Christine M.; Hauber, Ernst; Ori, Gian Gabriele; Pearce, David A.; Renno, Nilton O.; Ruvkun, Gary; Sattler, Birgit; Saunders, Mark P.; Smith, David H; Wagner, Dirk; Westall, Frances.

In: Astrobiology, Vol. 16, No. 2, 16.02.2016, p. 119-125.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

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AU - Detsis, Emmanouil

AU - Foreman, Christine M.

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AU - Ori, Gian Gabriele

AU - Pearce, David A.

AU - Renno, Nilton O.

AU - Ruvkun, Gary

AU - Sattler, Birgit

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AU - Smith, David H

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