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

21 Citations (Scopus)

433 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

Access to Document

10.1089/ast.2016.1472

ASTROBIOLOGY_accepted_paper
Final publication is available from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/ast.2016.1472.
Accepted author manuscript, 523 KB

Cite this

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.

@article{8ff315faa4314214a294cec954a03ffe,

title = "Planetary Protection and Mars Special Regions—A Suggestion for Updating the Definition",

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.",

keywords = "COSPAR policy, Mars special regions, Planetary protection",

author = "Petra Rettberg and Anesio, {Alexandre M B} and Baker, {Victor R.} and Baross, {John A.} and Cady, {Sherry L.} and Emmanouil Detsis and Foreman, {Christine M.} and Ernst Hauber and Ori, {Gian Gabriele} and Pearce, {David A.} and Renno, {Nilton O.} and Gary Ruvkun and Birgit Sattler and Saunders, {Mark P.} and Smith, {David H} and Dirk Wagner and Frances Westall",

year = "2016",

month = feb,

day = "16",

doi = "10.1089/ast.2016.1472",

language = "English",

volume = "16",

pages = "119--125",

journal = "Astrobiology",

issn = "1531-1074",

publisher = "Mary Ann Liebert Inc.",

number = "2",

}

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

TY - JOUR

T1 - Planetary Protection and Mars Special Regions—A Suggestion for Updating the Definition

AU - Rettberg, Petra

AU - Anesio, Alexandre M B

AU - Baker, Victor R.

AU - Baross, John A.

AU - Cady, Sherry L.

AU - Detsis, Emmanouil

AU - Foreman, Christine M.

AU - Hauber, Ernst

AU - Ori, Gian Gabriele

AU - Pearce, David A.

AU - Renno, Nilton O.

AU - Ruvkun, Gary

AU - Sattler, Birgit

AU - Saunders, Mark P.

AU - Smith, David H

AU - Wagner, Dirk

AU - Westall, Frances

PY - 2016/2/16

Y1 - 2016/2/16

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - COSPAR policy

KW - Mars special regions

KW - Planetary protection

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84958977051&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1089/ast.2016.1472

DO - 10.1089/ast.2016.1472

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

C2 - 26848950

AN - SCOPUS:84958977051

VL - 16

SP - 119

EP - 125

JO - Astrobiology

JF - Astrobiology

SN - 1531-1074

IS - 2

ER -

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

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Embargoed Document

Fingerprint

Cite this