6 Conclusion

In this course you have learned about the scientific reasoning behind planetary protection, including efforts to search for life and its origins in the Solar System. You have been introduced to how we determine the survival and proliferation of microorganisms using analogue sites so that we can apply this knowledge to limiting bioburden carried to extraterrestrial environments. You also learned about the prevalence of organic molecules and why it is critical to know which ones are carried by spacecraft.

You have also learned about the governance of planetary protection by the COSPAR Panel on Planetary Protection and its requirements for space missions to various planetary bodies. Through the examples of icy world and martian exploration, you learned about the ways in which contamination is minimised before launch.

Finally, you heard about some of the new developments in planetary protection and how this needs to evolve in the future as human interactions with space change.