Committee on Planetary Protection

Webinar

Evaluation of Bioburden Requirements for Mars Missions: Public Briefing

October 7, 2021

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (ET)

Past

About

Missions to the surface of Mars are required to meet strict planetary protection requirements to reduce the amount of biological contamination transported from Earth to Mars (or from Mars back to Earth). These policies are important to preserving the integrity of experiments searching for life on other planets.

However, with a growing number of missions to Mars, including potential human missions, it is important to consider whether some planetary exploration activities could pose less of a contamination risk to these pristine sites. At the request of NASA, a new report from the National Academies identifies criteria for determining whether missions to certain areas of Mars could be subject to less stringent bioburden requirements.

Learn more by joining us for a public briefing webinar on Thursday, October 7, 2021 from 2-3pm ET. During the webinar, members of the committee will discuss their findings and conclusions, and take questions from the audience.

Watch the webinar recording below.

Submit questions for the speakers at: https://forms.gle/7MvMhwihUDK5aW3A8

The report will be available starting at 11am ET on October 7th. You can download the report at http://nap.edu/26336.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Not Closed

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Committee on Planetary Protection

September 4, 2025

12:00 AM - 12:00 AM (ET)

Past

About

Closed committee-only telecon.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

DAVID P. FIDLER
Lisa M. Pratt
Emily Craven
Michael Daly
Asha George
Andrew Horchler
Robert E. Lindberg
Margarita Marinova
Gerald McDonnell
Jill A. Mikucki
Caryn Schenewerk
Gerhard Schwehm
Emily Seto

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The committee met to discuss the CoPP Fall Meeting.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

N/A

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

September 04, 2025

Contact

Kelsie Krafton

kkrafton@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Tele Conference

Committee on Planetary Protection Open Session January 2024

January 19, 2024

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM (ET)

Past

Materials

NASA Planetary Protection Slides

About

The Committee on Planetary Protection (CoPP) will have a virtual open session to follow up on the October 2023 CoPP meeting.

Livestream Link: https://vimeo.com/event/4006695

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Mr. Joseph K Alexander
Dr. Michael J Daly
Dr. Lennard A Fisk
Dr. Amanda R Hendrix
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. Eugene H Levy
Dr. Robert E Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. Gerhard H Schwehm

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

Reflections on open session.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

N/A

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

October 16, 2024

Contact

Gaybrielle Holbert

gholbert@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Closed

Committee on Planetary Protection - Closed Meeting (August 2023)

August 16, 2023

3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Past

About

This was a closed committee meeting to discuss possible topics and speakers for the upcoming meeting in October.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

All committee members except Tony Colaprete.

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

Supplementary Bias and Conflict discussion for two members. Possible topics/speakers for the CoPP Fall Meeting.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

None.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

August 24, 2023

Contact

Gaybrielle Holbert

gholbert@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Committee on Planetary Protection (Space Science Week) Spring Meeting 2023

March 28 - 30, 2023

Past

Materials

About

Space Science Week 2023 will be held in a hybrid format, there will be plenary sessions on March 28 and a public lecture on March 29. The Committee on Planetary Protection will be holding open sessions on March 29-30.

CoPP will be holding a joint session with the Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences on March 29.

The committee will hold discussions with the NASA Planetary Protection Office and COSPAR's Panel on Planetary Protection. There will also hold a special session on metagenomics and its application to planetary protection.

The meeting will be available on Livestream, please join:

Plenary sessions, March 28 (11am-7pm): https://vimeo.com/event/2973366
CoPP open sessions, March 29: https://vimeo.com/event/2973275
Public Lecture, March 29 (7pm): https://vimeo.com/event/2973372
CoPP open sessions, March 30: https://vimeo.com/event/2973280

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Committee on Planetary Protection - Closed Meeting (January 2023)

January 20, 2023

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Past

About

This event is a closed session.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Committee on Planetary Protection 2022 Fall Meeting

November 7 - 8, 2022

Past

Materials

About

The 2022 Fall Meeting of the Committee on Planetary Protection.

The Committee will hear from NASA's Deputy Planetary Protection Officer on the Current State of the Planetary Protection Office and from the Office of Science and Technology Policy on continuing discussions within the federal government to address planetary protection regulation.

A keynote presentation on recent Hayabusa2 sample return results will be given by CoPP Co-Chair Amanda Hendrix.

The meeting will then focus on planetary protection issues for Mars. We will discuss planetary protection issues for both robotic missions such as the Mars2020 and Mars Sample Return programs as well as future human missions.

The meeting will be livestreamed. To join Livestream: https://vimeo.com/event/2522700 .

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. Margarita M. Marinova
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick-Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed its reactions to the briefings received in open session.

The Committee then discussed prevailing issues within planetary protection that the Committee may want to address in a future report or workshop. The Committee also discussed ideas for a future joint session with other SSB discipline committees.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside material was made available.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

November 10, 2022

Contact

Gaybrielle Holbert

gholbert@nas.edu

Location

National Academy of Sciences Building

2101 Constitution Ave NW

Washington DC 20418, USA

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Committee on Planetary Protection - Closed Meeting No. 6 on Planetary Protection for Missions to Small Bodies

April 29, 2022

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM (ET)

Past

About

This event is a closed session.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee confirmed its consensus of the findings and prepared for a final review of the report.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were provided.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

April 29, 2022

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Committee on Planetary Protection - Closed Meeting No. 5 on Planetary Protection for Missions to Small Bodies

April 21, 2022

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM (ET)

Past

About

This event is a closed session.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick-Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed its draft and moving into review.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

April 21, 2022

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Committee on Planetary Protection - Closed Meeting No. 4 on Planetary Protection for Missions to Small Bodies

April 13, 2022

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM (ET)

Past

About

This event is a closed session.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick-Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed its draft of the report and its conclusions.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

April 13, 2022

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Committee on Planetary Protection - Closed Meeting No. 3 on Planetary Protection for Missions to Small Bodies

April 7, 2022

3:00 PM - 4:30 PM (ET)

Past

About

This event is a closed session.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed its draft of the report.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

April 07, 2022

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Committee on Planetary Protection - Closed Meeting No. 2 on Planetary Protection for Missions to Small Bodies

March 30, 2022

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM (ET)

Past

About

This event is a closed session.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed the state of its current draft text and amendments to its core findings for this report.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

March 30, 2022

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Committee on Planetary Protection (Space Science Week) Spring Meeting 2022

March 21 - 24, 2022

Past

Materials

About

Space Science Week 2022 was held virtually, there were plenary sessions and public lectures held on March 21-22. The Committee on Planetary Protection held open sessions on March 23.

The meeting will be available on Livestream, please join:

Monday, March 21 https://livestream.com/accounts/7036396/events/10214978
Tuesday, March 22 https://livestream.com/accounts/7036396/events/10214997
Wednesday, March 23 https://livestream.com/accounts/7036396/events/10215090

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Joseph K. Alexander
Amanda R. Hendrix
Angel Abbud-Madrid
Anthony Colaprete
Michael J. Daly
David P. Fidler
Sarah A. Gavit
Robert E. Lindberg, Jr
A. Deanne Rogers
Gerhard H. Schwehm
Trista J. Vick-Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed issues brought up during the open session presentations by NASA and by the roundtable on the regulatory gap.

The Committee discussed its draft findings and began drafting the report.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

March 24, 2022

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Committee on Planetary Protection - Closed Meeting No. 1 on Planetary Protection for Missions to Small Bodies

March 15, 2022

3:00 PM - 4:30 PM (ET)

Past

About

This event is a closed session.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick-Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed its draft findings and writing assignments for the upcoming report.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

March 15, 2022

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Committee on Planetary Protection - Meeting No. 4 on Planetary Protection for Missions to Small Bodies

March 2, 2022

12:00 PM - 6:00 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

About

This is the fourth meeting of the CoPP devoted to gathering information on its next report on the planetary protection considerations for outbound missions to small bodies in the solar system.

The agenda and event recording are available below.

The statement of task for this activity is as follows:

The Committee on Planetary Protection (CoPP) of the Space Studies Board (SSB) shall conduct a study on planetary protection categorization of outbound-only missions to small bodies that addresses the following topics. In what follows, an “identifiable population” of solar system small bodies refers to a subset of solar system small bodies defined by ranges of measurable known parameters, such as (a) orbital elements, (b) spectroscopic classification, (c) activity, (d) composition, and/or (e) size. Objects yet to be discovered, whose properties fall into the defining ranges, are to be considered members of the corresponding identifiable population.

Are there identifiable populations of solar system small bodies that are sufficiently numerous, of sufficiently similar accessibility, and/or of sufficiently low relevance to the study of chemical evolution related to the search for extraterrestrial life that the contamination of one object in the population would reasonably be expected to have no tangible effect on the potential for scientific investigation using other objects in the population? If so, provide a list of these identifiable populations and their defining parameters;
For the populations identified in #1, is it appropriate to categorize all missions to objects in these as planetary protection Category I?
If, after the publication of the study, new information indicates that a previously defined identifiable population is sufficiently inhomogeneous with regard to planetary protection to warrant reassessment, what protocols should be followed in order to revise the defining parameter ranges and corresponding planetary protection categorizations?

The implications of the report findings will be consistent with the budget limitations provided by NASA at the time of study initiation. The study will gather input from stakeholders, including the planetary and astrobiology science communities, government agencies dealing with spaceflight and exploration, and the aerospace industry, including emerging commercial entities.

(Task Initiated on 18 November 2021)

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick-Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed the issues and ideas raised in the open session.

The Committee then began drafting its findings and an outline of the report.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

March 02, 2022

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Committee on Planetary Protection - Meeting No. 3 on Planetary Protection for Missions to Small Bodies

February 9, 2022

12:30 PM - 6:00 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

About

This is the third meeting of the CoPP devoted to gathering information on its next report on the planetary protection considerations for outbound missions to small bodies in the solar system.

The agenda and event recording are available below.

The statement of task for this activity is as follows:

The Committee on Planetary Protection (CoPP) of the Space Studies Board (SSB) shall conduct a study on planetary protection categorization of outbound-only missions to small bodies that addresses the following topics. In what follows, an “identifiable population” of solar system small bodies refers to a subset of solar system small bodies defined by ranges of measurable known parameters, such as (a) orbital elements, (b) spectroscopic classification, (c) activity, (d) composition, and/or (e) size. Objects yet to be discovered, whose properties fall into the defining ranges, are to be considered members of the corresponding identifiable population.

Are there identifiable populations of solar system small bodies that are sufficiently numerous, of sufficiently similar accessibility, and/or of sufficiently low relevance to the study of chemical evolution related to the search for extraterrestrial life that the contamination of one object in the population would reasonably be expected to have no tangible effect on the potential for scientific investigation using other objects in the population? If so, provide a list of these identifiable populations and their defining parameters;
For the populations identified in #1, is it appropriate to categorize all missions to objects in these as planetary protection Category I?
If, after the publication of the study, new information indicates that a previously defined identifiable population is sufficiently inhomogeneous with regard to planetary protection to warrant reassessment, what protocols should be followed in order to revise the defining parameter ranges and corresponding planetary protection categorizations?

The implications of the report findings will be consistent with the budget limitations provided by NASA at the time of study initiation. The study will gather input from stakeholders, including the planetary and astrobiology science communities, government agencies dealing with spaceflight and exploration, and the aerospace industry, including emerging commercial entities.

(Task Initiated on 18 November 2021)

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick-Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed its reactions to the perspectives heard at this and previous meetings.

The Committee then began to consider potential findings that may result from this report.

The Committee also made plans for its upcoming meetings and for Space Science Week.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

February 10, 2022

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Committee on Planetary Protection - Meeting No. 2 on Planetary Protection for Missions to Small Bodies

January 19, 2022

12:00 PM - 6:00 PM (ET)

Past

Materials

About

This is the second meeting of the CoPP devoted to gathering information on its next report on the planetary protection considerations for outbound missions to small bodies in the solar system.

The statement of task for this activity is as follows:

The Committee on Planetary Protection (CoPP) of the Space Studies Board (SSB) shall conduct a study on planetary protection categorization of outbound-only missions to small bodies that addresses the following topics. In what follows, an “identifiable population” of solar system small bodies refers to a subset of solar system small bodies defined by ranges of measurable known parameters, such as (a) orbital elements, (b) spectroscopic classification, (c) activity, (d) composition, and/or (e) size. Objects yet to be discovered, whose properties fall into the defining ranges, are to be considered members of the corresponding identifiable population.

Are there identifiable populations of solar system small bodies that are sufficiently numerous, of sufficiently similar accessibility, and/or of sufficiently low relevance to the study of chemical evolution related to the search for extraterrestrial life that the contamination of one object in the population would reasonably be expected to have no tangible effect on the potential for scientific investigation using other objects in the population? If so, provide a list of these identifiable populations and their defining parameters;
For the populations identified in #1, is it appropriate to categorize all missions to objects in these as planetary protection Category I?
If, after the publication of the study, new information indicates that a previously defined identifiable population is sufficiently inhomogeneous with regard to planetary protection to warrant reassessment, what protocols should be followed in order to revise the defining parameter ranges and corresponding planetary protection categorizations?

The implications of the report findings will be consistent with the budget limitations provided by NASA at the time of study initiation. The study will gather input from stakeholders, including the planetary and astrobiology science communities, government agencies dealing with spaceflight and exploration, and the aerospace industry, including emerging commercial entities.

(Task Initiated on 18 November 2021)

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick-Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed issues and topics raised during the open session. The Committee also discussed potential findings and future topics of discussion for future meetings.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

January 19, 2022

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Committee on Planetary Protection - Closed Meeting No. 6 on Mars Mission Bioburden Requirements

August 23 - 25, 2021

Past

About

This event is a closed session.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. David M. Karl; NAS
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. Margarita M. Marinova
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick-Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed comments from the report reviewers and edited the report to reflect their concerns.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

August 27, 2021

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Committee on Planetary Protection - Closed Meeting No. 5 on Mars Mission Bioburden Requirements

July 8, 2021

2:30 PM - 4:30 PM (ET)

Past

About

This event is a closed session.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. David M. Karl; NAS
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. Margarita M. Marinova
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick-Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed its draft of the report on Mars Bioburden Requirements and further refined some language on requirements and processes.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

July 08, 2021

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Committee on Planetary Protection - Closed Meeting No. 4 on Mars Mission Bioburden Requirements

July 2, 2021

1:30 PM - 3:30 PM (ET)

Past

About

This event is a closed session.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. David M. Karl; NAS
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed its draft report.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

July 02, 2021

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Committee on Planetary Protection - Closed Meeting No. 3 on Mars Mission Bioburden Requirements

June 24, 2021

2:30 PM - 4:30 PM (ET)

Past

About

This event is a closed session.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. David M. Karl; NAS
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed its draft report and its findings and recommendations.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

October 26, 2021

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Committee on Planetary Protection - Closed Meeting No. 2 on Mars Mission Bioburden Requirements

June 15, 2021

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (ET)

Past

About

This event is a closed session.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. David M. Karl; NAS
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg Jr.
Dr. Margarita M. Marinova
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick-Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed its draft findings and recommendations.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

June 15, 2021

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Committee on Planetary Protection - Closed Meeting No. 1 on Mars Mission Bioburden Requirements

June 10, 2021

3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Past

About

This event is a closed session.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg Jr.
Dr. Margarita M. Marinova
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick-Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed their chapter drafts and their report findings.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

June 10, 2021

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Committee on Planetary Protection - Meeting No. 6 on Mars Mission Bioburden Requirements

June 3, 2021

1:00 PM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

About

This is the sixth meeting of the committee devoted to background presentations and information gathering relevant to the committee's upcoming report on identifying criteria for determining locations or regions on Mars that are potentially suitable for missions of less restrictive bioburden than the current requirements.

This meeting will focus on landed Mars mission planetary protection and on caves.

The statement of task for this activity is as follows:

The CoPP shall determine whether the following criteria are necessary and sufficient to determine if a location on Mars is appropriate for missions with lower bioburden requirements than the current Category IV and provide methods a mission could use to show it meets the criteria. If the following criteria are not sufficient, the CoPP shall provide those that are deemed necessary.

Criteria might include:

Temperatures at the landing site and locations of mission activities are below -25°C, or water activity is less than 0.5 (Note: water activity = water vapor pressure of a solution/vapor pressure of pure water),
Mission activities will go no deeper than a certain distance below the surface,
Landed spacecraft are not capable of melting the regolith, and
Proposed landing and/or mission activity sites do not contain geomorphological characteristics of flowing water, such as recurring slope lineae, etc.

Methods to show that the above criteria are met might include:

Observational data from orbiters, landers, rovers, and Earth-based observation;
Modeling based on the most up-to-date knowledge of the Martian environment and its processes.

In determining criteria for locations on Mars, the CoPP shall also consider whether mission activities need to be constrained to an area of a specific diameter, including off-nominal operation margins.

Finally, the CoPP shall briefly comment on whether these locations may be suitable for an eventual human exploration mission. While this report should primarily focus on robotic missions, NASA would like to know the CoPP’s views on whether these criteria may be useful (although likely not sufficient) when considering how human missions can be carried out without large-scale biological contamination of Mars.

(Task Initiated on 22 February 2021)

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. David M. Karl; NAS
Dr. Margarita M. Marinova
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed issues and topics brought up during the preceding open session.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

June 07, 2021

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Committee on Planetary Protection - Meeting No. 5 on Mars Mission Bioburden Requirements

May 17, 2021

1:30 PM - 5:30 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

Materials

About

This is the fifth meeting of the committee devoted to background presentations and information gathering relevant to the committee's upcoming report on identifying criteria for determining locations or regions on Mars that are potentially suitable for missions of less restrictive bioburden than the current requirements.

The meeting will focus on the understanding planetary protection concerns for the study of aquifers, caves, and brines on Mars.

The statement of task for this activity is as follows:

The CoPP shall determine whether the following criteria are necessary and sufficient to determine if a location on Mars is appropriate for missions with lower bioburden requirements than the current Category IV and provide methods a mission could use to show it meets the criteria. If the following criteria are not sufficient, the CoPP shall provide those that are deemed necessary.

Criteria might include:

Temperatures at the landing site and locations of mission activities are below -25°C, or water activity is less than 0.5 (Note: water activity = water vapor pressure of a solution/vapor pressure of pure water),
Mission activities will go no deeper than a certain distance below the surface,
Landed spacecraft are not capable of melting the regolith, and
Proposed landing and/or mission activity sites do not contain geomorphological characteristics of flowing water, such as recurring slope lineae, etc.

Methods to show that the above criteria are met might include:

Observational data from orbiters, landers, rovers, and Earth-based observation;
Modeling based on the most up-to-date knowledge of the Martian environment and its processes.

In determining criteria for locations on Mars, the CoPP shall also consider whether mission activities need to be constrained to an area of a specific diameter, including off-nominal operation margins.

Finally, the CoPP shall briefly comment on whether these locations may be suitable for an eventual human exploration mission. While this report should primarily focus on robotic missions, NASA would like to know the CoPP’s views on whether these criteria may be useful (although likely not sufficient) when considering how human missions can be carried out without large-scale biological contamination of Mars.

(Task Initiated on 22 February 2021)

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. David M. Karl; NAS
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg Jr.
Dr. Margarita M. Marinova
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick-Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed the presentation they had just heard and the issues raised during the open session.

The Committee then discussed its draft findings.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

May 17, 2021

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Committee on Planetary Protection - Meeting No. 4 on Mars Mission Bioburden Requirements

May 6, 2021

12:00 PM - 4:00 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

Materials

01_Tommy Sanford_Commercial Perspective on Planetary Protection

About

This is the fourth meeting of the committee devoted to background presentations and information gathering relevant to the committee's upcoming report on identifying criteria for determining locations or regions on Mars that are potentially suitable for missions of less restrictive bioburden than the current requirements.

This meeting will focus on commercial perspectives on Mars exploration and planetary protection, as well as potential subsurface science where planetary protection would be a concern.

The recording for this event can be found below.

The statement of task for this activity is as follows:

The CoPP shall determine whether the following criteria are necessary and sufficient to determine if a location on Mars is appropriate for missions with lower bioburden requirements than the current Category IV and provide methods a mission could use to show it meets the criteria. If the following criteria are not sufficient, the CoPP shall provide those that are deemed necessary.

Criteria might include:

Temperatures at the landing site and locations of mission activities are below -25°C, or water activity is less than 0.5 (Note: water activity = water vapor pressure of a solution/vapor pressure of pure water),
Mission activities will go no deeper than a certain distance below the surface,
Landed spacecraft are not capable of melting the regolith, and
Proposed landing and/or mission activity sites do not contain geomorphological characteristics of flowing water, such as recurring slope lineae, etc.

Methods to show that the above criteria are met might include:

Observational data from orbiters, landers, rovers, and Earth-based observation;
Modeling based on the most up-to-date knowledge of the Martian environment and its processes.

In determining criteria for locations on Mars, the CoPP shall also consider whether mission activities need to be constrained to an area of a specific diameter, including off-nominal operation margins.

Finally, the CoPP shall briefly comment on whether these locations may be suitable for an eventual human exploration mission. While this report should primarily focus on robotic missions, NASA would like to know the CoPP’s views on whether these criteria may be useful (although likely not sufficient) when considering how human missions can be carried out without large-scale biological contamination of Mars.

(Task Initiated on 22 February 2021)

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. David M. Karl; NAS
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. Margarita M. Marinova
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick-Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed issues brought up during open session. The Committee also discussed potential invitees for future meetings.

The Committee also discussed potential report drafting.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

May 06, 2021

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Committee on Planetary Protection - Meeting No. 3 on Mars Mission Bioburden Requirements

April 19, 2021

2:00 PM - 6:00 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

Materials

About

This is the third meeting of the committee devoted to background presentations and information gathering relevant to the committee's upcoming report on identifying criteria for determining locations or regions on Mars that are potentially suitable for missions of less restrictive bioburden than the current requirements.

The Committee will hear from the Office of Science and Technology Policy on the National Strategy of Planetary Protection. The Committee will also hear from an industry expert on spacecraft cleanliness metrics.

The statement of task for this activity is as follows:

The CoPP shall determine whether the following criteria are necessary and sufficient to determine if a location on Mars is appropriate for missions with lower bioburden requirements than the current Category IV and provide methods a mission could use to show it meets the criteria. If the following criteria are not sufficient, the CoPP shall provide those that are deemed necessary.

Criteria might include:

Temperatures at the landing site and locations of mission activities are below -25°C, or water activity is less than 0.5 (Note: water activity = water vapor pressure of a solution/vapor pressure of pure water),
Mission activities will go no deeper than a certain distance below the surface,
Landed spacecraft are not capable of melting the regolith, and
Proposed landing and/or mission activity sites do not contain geomorphological characteristics of flowing water, such as recurring slope lineae, etc.

Methods to show that the above criteria are met might include:

Observational data from orbiters, landers, rovers, and Earth-based observation;
Modeling based on the most up-to-date knowledge of the Martian environment and its processes.

In determining criteria for locations on Mars, the CoPP shall also consider whether mission activities need to be constrained to an area of a specific diameter, including off-nominal operation margins.

Finally, the CoPP shall briefly comment on whether these locations may be suitable for an eventual human exploration mission. While this report should primarily focus on robotic missions, NASA would like to know the CoPP’s views on whether these criteria may be useful (although likely not sufficient) when considering how human missions can be carried out without large-scale biological contamination of Mars.

(Task Initiated on 22 February 2021)

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. David M. Karl; NAS
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Margarita M. Marinova
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick-Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed its upcoming schedule, as well as speakers needed to address the Statement of Task.

The Committee discussed the Statement of Task and what perspectives are they missing from their considerations.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

April 20, 2021

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Committee on Planetary Protection - Meeting No. 2 on Mars Mission Bioburden Requirements

April 5, 2021

1:30 PM - 5:30 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

Materials

About

This is the second meeting of the committee devoted to background presentations and information gathering relevant to the committee's upcoming report on identifying criteria for determining locations or regions on Mars that are potentially suitable for missions of less restrictive bioburden than the current requirements.

The Committee will hear presentations from NASA's Mars Exploration Program regarding NASA's Mars Exploration Strategy. The committee will also hear from experts on the probability of microbial survival in Martian conditions and for dispersion of terrestrial microbes on Mars through atmospheric processes.

The statement of task for this activity is as follows:

The CoPP shall determine whether the following criteria are necessary and sufficient to determine if a location on Mars is appropriate for missions with lower bioburden requirements than the current Category IV and provide methods a mission could use to show it meets the criteria. If the following criteria are not sufficient, the CoPP shall provide those that are deemed necessary.

Criteria might include:

Temperatures at the landing site and locations of mission activities are below -25°C, or water activity is less than 0.5 (Note: water activity = water vapor pressure of a solution/vapor pressure of pure water),
Mission activities will go no deeper than a certain distance below the surface,
Landed spacecraft are not capable of melting the regolith, and
Proposed landing and/or mission activity sites do not contain geomorphological characteristics of flowing water, such as recurring slope lineae, etc.

Methods to show that the above criteria are met might include:

Observational data from orbiters, landers, rovers, and Earth-based observation;
Modeling based on the most up-to-date knowledge of the Martian environment and its processes.

In determining criteria for locations on Mars, the CoPP shall also consider whether mission activities need to be constrained to an area of a specific diameter, including off-nominal operation margins.

Finally, the CoPP shall briefly comment on whether these locations may be suitable for an eventual human exploration mission. While this report should primarily focus on robotic missions, NASA would like to know the CoPP’s views on whether these criteria may be useful (although likely not sufficient) when considering how human missions can be carried out without large-scale biological contamination of Mars.

(Task Initiated on 22 February 2021)

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. David M. Karl; NAS
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. Margarita M. Marinova
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick-Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed issues and views heard during the meeting.

The Committee continued its further discussions on how to approach the task and planetary protection categories.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

April 05, 2021

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Committee on Planetary Protection (Space Science Week Spring Meeting 2021)

March 23 - 25, 2021

Past

Materials

About

Space Science Week 2021 will be held virtually, there will be a plenary session and public lecture held on March 23. The Committee on Planetary Protection will be holding open and closed sessions on March 23-25 (times subject to change).

Please see the posted agenda for more information. The registration site for the meeting can be found through the "Register' button. A recording of the March 25th live stream is available below.

We apologize for the technical issues that we had on March 24, a recording of that session will be available soon.

This is the first meeting of the committee devoted to background presentations and information gathering relevant to the committee's upcoming report on identifying criteria for determining locations or regions on Mars that are potentially suitable for missions of less restrictive bioburden than the current requirements. The statement of task for this activity is as follows:

The CoPP shall determine whether the following criteria are necessary and sufficient to determine if a location on Mars is appropriate for missions with lower bioburden requirements than the current Category IV and provide methods a mission could use to show it meets the criteria. If the following criteria are not sufficient, the CoPP shall provide those that are deemed necessary.

Criteria might include:

Temperatures at the landing site and locations of mission activities are below -25°C, or water activity is less than 0.5 (Note: water activity = water vapor pressure of a solution/vapor pressure of pure water),
Mission activities will go no deeper than a certain distance below the surface,
Landed spacecraft are not capable of melting the regolith, and
Proposed landing and/or mission activity sites do not contain geomorphological characteristics of flowing water, such as recurring slope lineae, etc.

Methods to show that the above criteria are met might include:

Observational data from orbiters, landers, rovers, and Earth-based observation;
Modeling based on the most up-to-date knowledge of the Martian environment and its processes.

In determining criteria for locations on Mars, the CoPP shall also consider whether mission activities need to be constrained to an area of a specific diameter, including off-nominal operation margins.

Finally, the CoPP shall briefly comment on whether these locations may be suitable for an eventual human exploration mission. While this report should primarily focus on robotic missions, NASA would like to know the CoPP’s views on whether these criteria may be useful (although likely not sufficient) when considering how human missions can be carried out without large-scale biological contamination of Mars.

(Task Initiated on 22 February 2021)

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. David M. Karl
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. Margarita M. Marinova
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick-Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed their reactions to the presentations and points heard during open session.

The Committee also discussed speakers for its upcoming sessions.

The Committee discussed outlining their report in the near future.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

None

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

March 25, 2021

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Committee on Planetary Protection Closed Meeting 3

March 12, 2021

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Past

About

This event is a closed session.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. David M. Karl
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. Margarita M. Marinova
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick-Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee performed a bias and conflict of interest disclosure session regarding its new statement of task.

The Committee then read the statement of task in detail and discussed potential speakers and points to address in the report.

Before closing, the Committee discussed the upcoming schedule and the agenda for its meeting during Space Science Week 2021.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

None

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

March 15, 2021

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Committee on Planetary Protection - Meeting 6

February 12, 2021

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

About

An open meeting of the Committee on Planetary Protection.

The committee will be meeting to discuss its recently released report on lunar volatiles with invited guests. The key focus of this discussion is to consider the highest priority science questions for studying volatiles trapped in permanently shadowed regions, in particular using the lunar surface layer. The format of the meeting will be a roundtable discussion.

A closed session will immediately precede and follow the open session. The Open Session will begin at 3pm EST.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander;
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix;
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid;
Dr. Anthony Colaprete;
Dr. Michael J. Daly;
Mr. David P. Fidler;
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit;
Dr. Andrew Horchler;
Dr. David M. Karl; NAS
Dr. Eugene H. Levy;
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.;
Dr. Margarita M. Marinova;
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers;
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm;
Dr. Trista J. Vick-Majors;

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

Before the open session, the Committee discussed its upcoming briefing to the COSPAR Planetary Protection Panel as well as recent NASA presentations on planetary protection.

The Committee then discussed potential actions that may result from their findings in their recent lunar volatiles report and how their findings may inform actions.

After the open session, the Committee discussed reactions to the conversation held during the open session regarding lunar volatiles.

The Committee continued preparing for its upcoming presentation to the COSPAR PPP.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

None

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

February 12, 2021

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Committee on Planetary Protection Closed Meeting 2

January 27, 2021

3:00 PM - 5:30 PM (ET)

Past

About

This event is a closed session.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander;
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix;
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid;
Dr. Anthony Colaprete;
Dr. Michael J. Daly;
Mr. David P. Fidler;
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit;
Dr. Andrew Horchler;
Dr. David M. Karl; NAS
Dr. Eugene H. Levy;
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.;
Dr. Margarita M. Marinova;
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers;
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm;
Dr. Trista J. Vick-Majors;

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The Committee discussed the results of the briefing with NASA's Science Mission Directorate and the Office of Planetary Protection. The Committee also discussed the results of the Capitol Hill briefing of the report "Planetary Protection for the Study of Lunar Volatiles".

The Committee also discussed the National Strategy for Planetary Protection.

The Committee then discussed its next action items and a tentative schedule.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

None

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

January 27, 2021

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Committee on Planetary Protection - Meeting 5

October 2, 2020

11:00 AM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Past

About

This event is a closed session.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. David M. Karl
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. Margarita M. Marinova
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The committee discussed final issues related to the report draft. Assignments were made to complete various portions of the report that remained to be completed.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

January 15, 2021

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Committee on Planetary Protection - Meeting 4

September 29, 2020

11:00 AM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Past

About

This event is a closed session.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. David M. Karl
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. Margarita M. Marinova
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

Discussion of drafts of the chapters of the report on the presentation of lunar volatiles. Also started discussion of the primary findings of the report.

Action items for work between now and the 2 October closed meeting were set immediately before adjourning.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

September 29, 2020

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Committee on Planetary Protection - Meeting 3

September 23, 2020

11:00 AM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

Materials

01_Briefing from the COSPAR Planetary Protection Panel

About

Meeting of the Committee on Planetary Protection to hear presentations relevant to its report on the impact of human activities on the polar volatiles and the scientific value of protecting the surface and subsurface regions of the Earth's Moon from organic and biological contamination. The statement of task for this activity is as follows:

The layered ice deposits in the permanently shadowed areas in the Moon’s polar regions are a potential archive of the history of volatile materials (e.g. water, carbon dioxide, and methane) in the Earth/Moon system over the history of the solar system. Organic and biological contamination associated with human and robotic activities on the Moon have the potential to compromise the utility of the polar volatiles for scientific studies. However, the sensitivity of polar volatiles to contamination associated with activities on the lunar surface is unknown.

In keeping with its charge “to serve as a source of information and advice on those measures undertaken by robotic spacecraft and human exploration missions to protect the biological and environmental integrity of extraterrestrial bodies for future scientific studies….” the Committee on Planetary Protection shall draft a short report on the impact of human activities on the polar volatiles and the scientific value of protecting the surface and subsurface regions of the Earth's Moon from organic and biological contamination. The short report should contain a clear exposition of the following:

An overview of the current scientific understanding, value, and potential threat of organic and biological contamination to:
- Permanently shadowed regions that have scientific value in the study of the history of the solar system and its associated organic compounds,
- Research on the Moon relevant to understanding the process of prebiotic chemical evolution and the origin of life.
- Assess the likelihood that spacecraft reaching the lunar surface will transfer volatiles to polar cold traps.
An assessment, to the degree possible, of how much and which regions of the Moon’s surface and subsurface are of sufficient scientific value to warrant protection from organic and biological contamination.

Closed Session discussions will be on action items to move forward on the report and planning upcoming meeting speakers.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

The committee discussed reactions to the speaker presentations at the open sessions.

The committee discussed an outline of the report and relevant sections. Action items were set for the next closed meeting on 29 September 2020.

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

-Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
-Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
-Dr. Anthony Colaprete
-Dr. Michael J. Daly
-Mr. David P. Fidler
-Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
-Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
-Dr. Andrew Horchler
-Dr. David M. Karl
-Dr. Eugene H. Levy
-Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
-Dr. Margarita M. Marinova
-Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
-Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
-Dr. Trista J. Vick Majors

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

September 23, 2020

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Committee on Planetary Protection - Meeting 2

September 18, 2020

11:00 AM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

Materials

About

Meeting of the Committee on Planetary Protection to hear presentations relevant to its report on the impact of human activities on the polar volatiles and the scientific value of protecting the surface and subsurface regions of the Earth's Moon from organic and biological contamination. The statement of task for this activity is as follows:

The layered ice deposits in the permanently shadowed areas in the Moon’s polar regions are a potential archive of the history of volatile materials (e.g. water, carbon dioxide, and methane) in the Earth/Moon system over the history of the solar system. Organic and biological contamination associated with human and robotic activities on the Moon have the potential to compromise the utility of the polar volatiles for scientific studies. However, the sensitivity of polar volatiles to contamination associated with activities on the lunar surface is unknown.

In keeping with its charge “to serve as a source of information and advice on those measures undertaken by robotic spacecraft and human exploration missions to protect the biological and environmental integrity of extraterrestrial bodies for future scientific studies….” the Committee on Planetary Protection shall draft a short report on the impact of human activities on the polar volatiles and the scientific value of protecting the surface and subsurface regions of the Earth's Moon from organic and biological contamination. The short report should contain a clear exposition of the following:

An overview of the current scientific understanding, value, and potential threat of organic and biological contamination to:
- Permanently shadowed regions that have scientific value in the study of the history of the solar system and its associated organic compounds,
- Research on the Moon relevant to understanding the process of prebiotic chemical evolution and the origin of life.
- Assess the likelihood that spacecraft reaching the lunar surface will transfer volatiles to polar cold traps.
An assessment, to the degree possible, of how much and which regions of the Moon’s surface and subsurface are of sufficient scientific value to warrant protection from organic and biological contamination.

Closed Session discussions will be on action items to move forward on the report and planning upcoming meeting speakers.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid
Dr. Anthony Colaprete
Dr. Michael J. Daly
Mr. David P. Fidler
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix
Dr. Andrew Horchler
Dr. David M. Karl
Dr. Eugene H. Levy
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.
Dr. Margarita M. Marinova
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm
Dr. Trista J. Vick Majors

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

Reaction to issues brought up during the open session of the meeting.
Discussion of action items moving forward on the report.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

September 18, 2020

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Committee on Planetary Protection - Meeting 1

September 4, 2020

11:45 AM - 5:00 PM (ET)

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

Materials

About

This is the first meeting of the new committee, devoted to some background presentations and presentations relevant to the committee's upcoming report on the impact of human activities on the polar volatiles and the scientific value of protecting the surface and subsurface regions of the Earth's Moon from organic and biological contamination. The statement of task for this activity is as follows:

The layered ice deposits in the permanently shadowed areas in the Moon’s polar regions are a potential archive of the history of volatile materials (e.g. water, carbon dioxide, and methane) in the Earth/Moon system over the history of the solar system. Organic and biological contamination associated with human and robotic activities on the Moon have the potential to compromise the utility of the polar volatiles for scientific studies. However, the sensitivity of polar volatiles to contamination associated with activities on the lunar surface is unknown.

In keeping with its charge “to serve as a source of information and advice on those measures undertaken by robotic spacecraft and human exploration missions to protect the biological and environmental integrity of extraterrestrial bodies for future scientific studies….” the Committee on Planetary Protection shall draft a short report on the impact of human activities on the polar volatiles and the scientific value of protecting the surface and subsurface regions of the Earth's Moon from organic and biological contamination. The short report should contain a clear exposition of the following:

An overview of the current scientific understanding, value, and potential threat of organic and biological contamination to:
- Permanently shadowed regions that have scientific value in the study of the history of the solar system and its associated organic compounds,
- Research on the Moon relevant to understanding the process of prebiotic chemical evolution and the origin of life.
- Assess the likelihood that spacecraft reaching the lunar surface will transfer volatiles to polar cold traps.
An assessment, to the degree possible, of how much and which regions of the Moon’s surface and subsurface are of sufficient scientific value to warrant protection from organic and biological contamination.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Mr. Joseph K. Alexander; Alexander Space Policy Consultants
Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid; Colorado School of Mines
Dr. Anthony Colaprete; NASA Ames Research Center
Dr. Michael J. Daly; Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Mr. David P. Fidler; Council on Foreign Relations
Ms. Sarah A. Gavit; Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Dr. Amanda R. Hendrix; Planetary Science Institute
Dr. Andrew Horchler; Astrobotic
Dr. David M. Karl; NAS University of Hawaii at Manoa
Dr. Eugene H. Levy; Rice University
Dr. Robert E. Lindberg, Jr.; Independent Consultant
Dr. Margarita M. Marinova; Independent Consultant
Dr. A. Deanne Rogers; Stony Brook University, The State University of Ne
Dr. Gerhard H. Schwehm; European Space Agency
Dr. Trista J. Vick Majors; Michigan Technological University

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

Bias and Conflict of Interest Disclosures to the National Academy of Sciences

Issues brought up during presentations to the CoPP during this meeting.

Planning speakers and action items in preparation for the 18 September 2020 meeting.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

No outside materials were distributed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

September 08, 2020

Contact

Megan Chamberlain

mchamberlain@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

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Committee on Planetary Protection

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Evaluation of Bioburden Requirements for Mars Missions: Public Briefing