A recent National Research Council (NRC) report on preventing contamination of Europa is fundamentally flawed [Task Group on the Forward Contamination of Europa, 2000]. It inappropriately cites, as the basis for its quantitative recommendation, a decades-old COSPAR resolution. This resolution in turn was based on an arbitrary numerical example taken from a 1960s analysis based on now-obsolete premises regarding Mars exploration, not Europa.
While the NRC report contains useful information, it cannot be a valid basis for sound NASA policy for exploration of Europa. The issues involved need to be revisited with a comprehensive study. Note: COSPAR is the Committee on Space Programs and Research of the International Council of Scientific Unions.
[1]
Richard J. Greenberg,et al.
Habitability of Europa's crust: The role of tidal‐tectonic processes
,
2000
.
[2]
G. Horneck,et al.
Natural Transfer of Viable Microbes in Space: 1. From Mars to Earth and Earth to Mars
,
2000
.
[3]
B. R. Tufts,et al.
Habitability Of Europa's Crust
,
2002
.
[4]
D L DeVincenzi,et al.
Revised planetary protection policy for solar system exploration.
,
1984,
Advances in space research : the official journal of the Committee on Space Research.
[5]
C. Sagan,et al.
SPACECRAFT STERILIZATION STANDARDS AND CONTAMINATION OF MARS
,
1964
.