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NASA’s Revised Planetary Protection Policy and ImplementationNASA has updated its planetary protection policy and implementation approach in response to advances in scientific understanding of solar system targets, upcoming mission opportunities for exploration and sample return, and the private sector’s emerging capability to plan missions to Earth’s Moon and Mars. In September 2021, the NASA Procedural Requirements NPR 8715.24, entitled “Planetary Protection Provisions for Robotic Extraterrestrial Missions” was released which repositions planetary protection in existing NASA mission and program management structures, introduces risk-informed decision making, expands on key roles and responsibilities for both programmatic and the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance, updates the categorization process and streamlines the planetary protection documentation approval and schedule. NASA is working on a more detailed technical standard to accompany NPR 8715.24 which will include the detailed technical requirements to address organic contamination, inadvertent impact avoidance, biological control and management, end of mission disposal and restricted Earth-Return sample safety and assurance. This report to the COSPAR community will describe the current NASA planetary protection policy and its alignment with the revised COSPAR planetary protection policy.
NASA’s plans for updating the supporting “Handbook for Implementing Planetary Protection Technical Requirements” and future policies for addressing planetary protection of crewed missions will also be presented.
Document ID
20220010648
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Presentation
Authors
Elaine Seasly
(National Aeronautics and Space Administration Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States)
Date Acquired
July 14, 2022
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Documentation And Information Science
Meeting Information
Meeting: COSPAR 44th Scientific Assembly
Location: Athens
Country: GR
Start Date: July 16, 2022
End Date: July 24, 2022
Sponsors: Diana Shipping Inc., Hellenic Republic
Funding Number(s)
OTHER: GA000
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
Technical Review
NASA Peer Committee
Keywords
Planetary Protection
COSPAR
NASA
Robotic
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