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At least 19 records

Terrestrial quarantine considerations for unmanned sample return missions

For the purpose of understanding some of the possible implications of a terrestrial quarantine constraint on a mission and for developing a basic approach which can be used to demonstrate compliance beyond that developed for Apollo, a terrestrial quarantine study was performed. It is shown that some of the basic tools developed and used by the planetary quarantine community have applicability to terrestrial quarantine analysis. By using these tools, it is concluded that: (1) the method of biasing the earth aiming point when returning from the planet is necessary but, by itself, may not satisfy terrestrial quarantine constraints; and (2) spacecraft and container design significantly influence contamination transfer.

Hoffman, A. R.↗

A new methodology to integrate planetary quarantine requirements into mission planning, with application to a Jupiter orbiter

A new methodology is proposed for integrating planetary quarantine objectives into space exploration planning. This methodology is designed to remedy the major weaknesses inherent in the current formulation of planetary quarantine requirements. Application of the methodology is illustrated by a tutorial analysis of a proposed Jupiter Orbiter mission. The proposed methodology reformulates planetary quarantine planning as a sequential decision problem. Rather than concentrating on a nominal plan, all decision alternatives and possible consequences are laid out in a decision tree. Probabilities and values are associated with the outcomes, including the outcome of contamination. The process of allocating probabilities, which could not be made perfectly unambiguous and systematic, is replaced by decomposition and optimization techniques based on principles of dynamic programming. Thus, the new methodology provides logical integration of all available information and allows selection of the best strategy consistent with quarantine and other space exploration goals.

Howard, R. A.↗

Foundations of planetary quarantine.

Discussion of some of the problems in microbiology and engineering involved in the implementation of planetary quarantine. It is shown that the solutions require new knowledge in both disciplines for success at low cost in terms of both monetary outlay and man's further exploration of the planets. A related problem exists in that engineers are not accustomed to the wide variation of biological data and microbiologists must learn to work and think in more exact terms. Those responsible for formulating or influencing national and international policies must walk a tightrope with delicate balance between unnecessarily stringent requirements for planetary quarantine on the one hand and prevention of contamination on the other. The success of planetary quarantine measures can be assured only by rigorous measures, each checked, rechecked, and triple-checked to make sure that no errors have been made and that no factor has been overlooked.

Hall, L. B.↗

Analytical basis for planetary quarantine.

The attempt is made to investigate quarantine constraints, and alternatives for meeting them, in sufficient detail for identifying those courses of action which compromise neither the quarantine nor the space mission objectives. Mathematical models pertinent to this goal are formulated at three distinct levels. The first level of mission constraint models pertains to the quarantine goals considered necessary by the international scientific community. The principal emphasis of modeling at this level is to quantify international considerations and to produce well-defined mission constraints. Such constraints must be translated into explicit implementation requirements by the operational agency of the launching nation. This produces the second level of implementation system modeling. However, because of the multitude of factors entering into the implementation models, it is convenient to consider these factors at the third level of implementation parameter models. These models are intentionally limited to the inclusion of only those factors which can be quantified realistically, either now or in the near future.

Schalkowsky, S.↗

The planetary quarantine program: Origins and achievements, 1956 - 1973

United States effort in planetary quarantine is outlined, beginning with the expressions of alarm by biologists, then discussing how a program was put together and implemented, and finally indicating the academic, governmental, institutional, and industrial agencies and people involved. It ends with a brief summary of the accomplishments and present status of the Planetary Quarantine Program and will serve as a partial explanation of how the planetary quarantine effort evolved and reached its present position.

Phillips, C. R.↗

Objectives and models of the planetary quarantine program

The objectives of the planetary quarantine program are presented and the history of early contamination prevention efforts is outlined. Contamination models which were previously established are given and include: determination of parameters; symbol nomenclature; and calculations of contamination and hazard probabilities. Planetary quarantine is discussed as an issue of national and international concern. Information on international treaty and meetings on spacecraft sterilization, quarantine standards, and policies is provided. The specific contamination probabilities of the U.S.S.R. Venus 3 flyby are included.

Werber, M.↗

The lunar quarantine program

The lunar quarantine program was designed to ensure that return of lunar material represented no threat to the public health, to agriculture, or to other living resources. It established definitely that no life exists on the moon. The crews of the three lunar quarantine missions, Apollo 11, 12, and 14, experienced no health problems as a result of their exposure to lunar samples. Plants and animals also showed no adverse effects. Stringent quarantine was terminated after Apollo 14, but lunar samples continued to be protected to guarantee that scientists would receive uncontaminated materials for study.

Richard S. Johnston↗

Lunar placement of Mars quarantine facility

Advanced mission scenarios are currently being contemplated that would call for the retrieval of surface samples from Mars, from a comet, and from other places in the solar system. An important consideration for all of these sample return missions is quarantine. Quarantine facilities on the Moon offer unique advantages over other locations. The Moon offers gravity, distance, and vacuum. It is sufficiently near the Earth to allow rapid resupply and easy communication. It is sufficiently distant to lessen the psychological impact of a quarantine facility on Earth's human inhabitants. Finally, the Moon is airless, and seems to be devoid of life. It is, therefore, more suited to contamination control efforts.

Davidson, James E.↗

Planning, evaluation and analytical studies in planetary quarantine and spacecraft sterilization

The technical and analytical support used to aid in developing requirements for planetary quarantine are presented. The investigation was divided into 8 work tasks which are presented in tabular form. Data include methods of sterilization, safety margins for quarantine, revision of contamination logs for Mars and Venus, and estimates of encapsulated and 'free' microbial burden.

Source record↗

Planetary quarantine: Principles, methods, and problems.

Microbial survival in deep space environment, contamination of planets by nonsterile flight hardware, and hazards of back contamination are among the topics covered in papers concerned with the analytical basis for planetary quarantine. The development of the technology and policies of planetary quarantine is covered in contributions on microbiologic assay and sterilization of space flight hardware and control of microbial contamination. A comprehensive subject index is included. Individual items are abstracted in this issue.

Hall, L. B.↗

Quarantine constraints as applied to satellites

Plans for unmanned missions to planets beyond Mars in the 1970s include satellite encounters. Recently published observations of data for Titan, a satellite of Saturn, indicate that conditions may be hospitable for the growth of microorganisms. Therefore, the problem of satisfying possible quarantine constraints for outer planet satellites was investigated. This involved determining the probability of impacting a satellite of Jupiter or Saturn by a spacecraft for a planned satellite encounter during an outer planet mission. Mathematical procedures were formulated which determine the areas in the aim-plane that would result in trajectories that impact the satellite and provide a technique for numerically integrating the navigation error function over the impact area to obtain impact probabilities. The results indicate which of the planned spacecraft trajectory correction maneuvers are most critical in terms of satellite quarantine violation.

Hoffman, A. R.↗

Scientific and technical services directed toward the development of planetary quarantine measures for automated spacecraft

Planetary quarantine requirements and parameters are evaluated for their effects upon automated spacecraft flights data describing the heat resistance of naturally occuring microorganisms and sterilization requirements are analyzed and a possible method for assessment of these data is developed. Pertinent data from planetary mission microbial contamination logs are compiled and maintained in the quarantine document system.

Source record↗

Quarantine constraints as applied to satellites.

Plans for unmanned missions to planets beyond Mars in the 1970s include satellite encounters. Recently published observations of data for Titan, a satellite of Saturn, indicate that conditions may be hospitable for the growth of microorganisms. Therefore, the problem of satisfying possible quarantine constraints for outer planet satellites was investigated. This involved determining the probability of impacting a satellite of Jupiter or Saturn by a spacecraft for a planned satellite encounter during an outer planet mission. Mathematical procedures were formulated which (1) determine the areas in the aim-plane that would result in trajectories that impact the satellite and (2) provide a technique for numerically integrating the navigation error function over the impact area to obtain impact probabilities. The results indicate which of the planned spacecraft trajectory correction maneuvers are most critical in terms of satellite quarantine violation.

Hoffman, A. R.↗

Scientific and technical services directed toward the development of planetary quarantine measures for automated spacecraft

The work is reported, which was performed in the specific tasks of the Planetary Quarantine research program for developing parameter specifications of unmanned scientific missions to the planets. The effort was directed principally toward the advancement of the quarantine technology, applicable to all future missions to planets of biological interest. The emphasis of the research was on coordinated evaluation, analysis, documentation, and presentation of PQ requirements for flight projects such as Viking and Pioneer.

Source record↗

An observation about the relative hardiness of bacterial spores and planetary quarantine

Planetary quarantine objectives are shown to be critically dependent on the deviation in the actual decimal-reduction-time or D values (i.e., the time necessary to reduce the population to one-tenth of its original value) of organisms on spacecraft from the values chosen for spacecraft sterilization that have been selected conservatively relative to defined experimental procedures and bacterial spore stocks. New data indicate that these D values are not conservative when compared with those of naturally occurring organisms. The possible implications of these new data for planetary quarantine are analyzed.

Trauth, C. A., Jr.↗

Viking planetary quarantine procedures and implementation

Some of the techniques and methodology that were used on Viking to implement planetary quarantine requirements are reported. Special attention was given to techniques and approaches used to implement sterilization of the Viking probe. Quarantine procedures for unmanned planetary missions and procedures for microbiological contamination of space hardware are included. A probability of contamination of the biological instruments onboard by terrestrial organisms was examined.

Howell, R.↗