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Biological Contamination of Mars Issues and Recommendations (1992) / Chapter Skim
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1 INTRODUCTION
Pages 13-17

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
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From page 13...
... Although the search for life and/or the chemical precursors of life can be justified in many places in the cosmos, some areas appear more likely than others to yield positive results. As articulated in The Search for Life's Origins, a 1990 report of the Committee on Planetary Biology and Chemical Evolution of the National Research Council,1 "Mars continues to be the extraterrestrial body that holds greatest promise of scientific return on fundamental questions about the origin of life" (p.
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From page 14...
... It is thus not surprising that scientists from many different nations are planning to participate in missions to Mars to investigate its properties by using a variety of different approaches, including remote sensing, use of surface landers, sample return, and eventually piloted exploration. Some of these missions are planned to occur within the next few years, including missions that involve landing experimental modules and penetrators on the martian surface.
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From page 15...
... Any constraints imposed on a mission to ensure planetary protection from forward contamination will be mission dependent, relying on the best possible information about the conditions that might support growth of any biota from Earth that will survive transit through space. These points are extremely important; as information accumulates about a given extraterrestrial body, assessment of the amount of planetary protection needed to prevent contamination will undoubtedly change accordingly.
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From page 16...
... TABLE 1.1 Viking-Level Procedures Recommended for Future Mars Missions Mission Type and Objective Procedure 1. Landers with in situ extant life- Trajectory biasing and orbit detection experiments lifetime Cleaning of componentsa Clean-room assembly Surface cleaning Lander sterilization Protection from recontamination Bioburden assessment 2.
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From page 17...
... REFERENCES 1. Space Studies Board, National Research Council.
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Key Terms

  • chemical evolution
  • forward contamination
  • planetary biology
  • viking mission
  • ensure planetary

  • fossil life
  • extraterrestrial body
  • situ extant
  • organic molecules
  • trajectory biasing

  • viking planetary
  • similar levels
  • helium purges
  • eventually piloted
  • evidence indicates

  • change drastically
  • related procedures
  • positive results
  • reasonable prospects
  • substantial atmosphere

  • promising approach
  • surface landers
  • detection experiments
  • sample return
  • future directions

  • considerable popular
  • modified upwards
  • abundant liquid
  • chemical precursors
  • solvent cleaning


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