Possibility of Ground Contamination Transfer to Mars

While NASA scientists are still celebrating the discovery of liquid water on the surface of Mars, they now face serious questions regarding future research on the red planet and the search for signs of life there. According to the Independent newspaper, the main dilemma is how to explore the planet without contaminating its surface with terrestrial life forms (microbes, viruses, or any kind of life model). The flow of liquid water has created valleys and walls on the surface of Mars, which researchers at the U.S. space agency are eager to send the "Curiosity rover" to for more detailed investigations. This surface has formed a long, narrow, dark strip on Mars. However, the current Mars rover is not completely sterilized and may have carried some form of life with it during its exit from Earth's atmosphere. The mission of the Mars rover has been to find signs of past life on Mars and has so far been able to find evidence of rivers and lakes that once flowed and existed on the surface of the planet. However, since there may be some form of life in the newly discovered areas with liquid water (or due to the presence of water, the continuation of terrestrial species' life may be possible), sending the Mars rover (which is not sterilized) to these areas is considered a risk. Andrew Coats, a researcher in the space science department at University College London, tells The Guardian that in the coming weeks and months, there will be heated discussions among scientists about where the Mars rover can go and where it cannot, and whether it can even approach this black strip: "The Mars rover will have the chance to get close to this narrow strip, but still remain outside of it to take pictures and videos with a laser. We know how eager scientists are to learn more about Mars now." An organization called the "Committee on Space Research" (or COSPAR), under planetary protection laws aimed at preventing contamination of other planets with terrestrial materials, is responsible for preserving the environment on other planets studied by scientists. According to the committee's regulations, probes searching for life on other planets must be clean and free from any contamination. According to this committee's classification, the Mars rover is not allowed to enter the wet areas of the planet. However, this law may change in the future. Since there may be some form of life in the newly discovered areas with liquid water (or due to the presence of water, the continuation of terrestrial species' life may be possible), sending the Mars rover (which is not sterilized) to these areas is considered a risk. Jim Green, one of NASA's researchers, believes that the strong radiation on the surface of Mars, especially ultraviolet radiation, has likely destroyed any life that may have been brought by the rover to Mars, and therefore the Curiosity rover is clean enough to go to the wet surface of Mars. However, a recent report from the National Science Institute in the U.S. and the European Science Organization states that ultraviolet radiation may not be able to destroy these life forms due to dust. Although the Mars rover can take many pictures of this damp surface from a distance, scientists are eager for the rover to be able to sample the surface of this wet soil. The next rover is set to land on the surface of Mars in 2018 and will investigate past and present life on the planet by drilling holes up to two meters deep. This rover will have a higher cleanliness standard compared to the current rover.