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9 Transition Process and Time Line
Pages 124-128

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From page 124...
... The relationships among the current approach to planetary protection, programmatic support, needed research and reconnaissance, interim requirements, and transition to a new approach are summarized in Figure 9.1 Each of the four objectives to be met in completing a revision of current Mars forward contamination protocols is described below. Objective 1: Assessment of Spacecraft Contaminants The purpose of assessing spacecraft contaminants is to determine which microbes present in the construction, testing, and launch of Mars missions actually threaten either to compromise Mars science or to contaminate the Mars environment.
From page 125...
... Objective 2: Definition and Development of Revised Requirements for Reduction of Bioburden Characterization of the bioburden on spacecraft (objective 1) and the ability to target those microbial populations of greatest concern for contaminating Mars enable objective 2, review and revision of existing bioburden reduction standards in NASA's requirements documents.
From page 126...
... Hence, there will be an opportunity during FY 2008, when development of both the 2011 and 2013 Mars missions is expected to begin, to test and demonstrate the effectiveness of new bioburden reduction requirements and procedures being researched and developed in conjunction with objectives 1 and 3. A new, completely validated set of protocols for planetary protection employing advanced bioassay and bioburden reduction methods would more realistically be implemented on a mission developed for launch early in 2016.
From page 127...
... Even an aggressive plan such as the one outlined here will take the better part of a decade to complete and fully apply to the Mars Exploration Program.3 There is thus every reason to begin the pertinent work as quickly as possible. 2JPL has proposed an architecture study that is considering planetary protection requirements in the architecture, design, manufacturing, assembly, and testing of spacecraft.


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