NASA has published new directives to protect the Moon and Mars from contamination by Earth germs carried by human voyagers. The purpose is to protect the planetary bodies from biological contamination from Earth — and to protect Earth from organisms originating on Mars.
“We’re trying to balance the interests of the science community, the interest of the human exploration community and the interest of the commercial community,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced during a “Moon Dialogs” webinar. NASA’s Office of Planetary Protection, housed within the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance, is tasked with ensuring will that the directives are complied with.
Bridenstine said it is important the future missions leave behind a “pristine environment” so humans know that what they discover in the future was not left there by other humans, as reported by Space.com. “We have to make sure that we are inventorying every kind of biological substance and even nonbiological substance — organics for example — that could leave something behind on the moon that could be problematic for future research.”
“These sites have immense scientific value in shaping our understanding of the history of our planet, the moon and the solar system,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
NASA has designated two categories for the Moon: Category I and Category 2. The “vast majority” would fall under Category 1, which requires the least protection. Missions to Category 2, primarily the tops of the North and South Poles, would have to pass stricter scrutiny. The directives are not set in stone, however. They are “interim” in nature, meaning they can be modified in the future.