NASA appoints planetary protection officer to act as an intermediary between humans and extraterrestrial life
Read more at https://www.naturalnews.com/2018-09-13-nasa-appoints-planetary-protection-officer-extraterrestrial-life.html.
Quote from: https://www.naturalnews.com/2018-09-13-nasa-appoints-planetary-protection-officer-extraterrestrial-life.html
The recently appointed planetary protection officer of NASA has a big job. Lisa Pratt is in charge of the space agencys efforts to prevent biological material from contaminating a planets biosphere, an article in Space.com stated.
On one hand, Pratt must make sure there are no bacteria from Earth aboard U.S. spacecraft that can cause forward contamination to other planets. Otherwise, these could damage or destroy the biospheres of alien worlds.
At the same time, she also needs to prevent potential bioactive molecules in samples from extraterrestrial sources asteroids, comets, meteorites, and other planets from causing backward contamination on Earth. Such biological contaminants could trigger a deadly epidemic on Earth.
Pratt heads NASAs Office of Planetary Protection (OPP), which has recently focused its efforts on designing U.S. spacecraft to prevent biological contamination of plants, including our own. The office is reappraising its approach to protecting planets from contamination given its future plans to get samples from Mars.
On one hand, Pratt must make sure there are no bacteria from Earth aboard U.S. spacecraft that can cause forward contamination to other planets. Otherwise, these could damage or destroy the biospheres of alien worlds.
At the same time, she also needs to prevent potential bioactive molecules in samples from extraterrestrial sources asteroids, comets, meteorites, and other planets from causing backward contamination on Earth. Such biological contaminants could trigger a deadly epidemic on Earth.
Pratt heads NASAs Office of Planetary Protection (OPP), which has recently focused its efforts on designing U.S. spacecraft to prevent biological contamination of plants, including our own. The office is reappraising its approach to protecting planets from contamination given its future plans to get samples from Mars.
Read more at https://www.naturalnews.com/2018-09-13-nasa-appoints-planetary-protection-officer-extraterrestrial-life.html.