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Assessment of Planetary Protection Requirements for Spacecraft Missions to Icy Solar System Bodies (2012) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix E: Glossary and Abbreviations
Pages 79-84

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From page 79...
... Chemoautotroph -- An organism with the ability to synthesize organic nutrients directly from simple inorganic compounds using the energy derived from chemical rather than photochemical reactions. Chemolithoautotroph -- An organism deriving all of its carbon and energy requirements from inorganic compounds.
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From page 80...
... Preparation is required for these flight projects primarily to outline intended or potential impact targets, provide brief pre- and post-launch analyses detailing impact strategies, and supply a post-encounter and end-of-mission report that will provide the location of impact if such an event occurs. Categories III and IV -- Include certain types of missions to a target body of interest with respect to chemical evolution and/or origin of life or for which scientific opinion posits a significant chance of contamination that could jeopardize future biological experiments.
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From page 81...
... Gray -- Unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation defined in terms of the total amount of energy absorbed per unit mass of the absorbing material. One gray is equal to 1 joule of energy deposition per kilogram of the target material.
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From page 82...
... Psychrotolerant organism -- An organism that has a maximum growth temperature of 35°C, an optimal growth temperature of 15°C or lower, and a minimum growth temperature of 0°C or lower. Rad -- Unit of absorbed dose of radiation defined in terms of the total amount of energy absorbed per unit mass of the absorbing material.
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From page 83...
... Sterilization -- A procedure that destroys all living microorganisms, including vegetative forms and spores. In practice, a completely sterile state is rarely achieved.
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Key Terms

  • energy absorbed
  • planetary protection
  • target material
  • planetary body
  • protection requirements

  • defined nucleus
  • target body
  • chemical evolution
  • terrestrial organisms
  • scientific opinion

  • category iii
  • absorbed depends
  • unit mass
  • biochemically distinct
  • buoyancy forces

  • ocean floor
  • absorbing material
  • maximum growth
  • energy deposition
  • absorbed dose

  • jeopardize future
  • minimum growth
  • optimal growth
  • body driven
  • radiation defined

  • detailing impact
  • cold seawater
  • impact strategies
  • possibly bioburden
  • nutrients directly


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