Table 1 Overview of surface bioburden requirements for category IV missions (applicable to robotic missions with landing on Mars), as given by the 2021 COSPAR Policy on Planetary Protection1.
From: An airlock concept to reduce contamination risks during the human exploration of Mars
Category | Description | System level | Maximum bioburden (spores) | Maximum bioburden density (spores m−2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
IVa | No search for extant Martian life | Full system | 3 × 105 | 300 |
IVb | Search for extant Martian life | Full system, or subsystems involved in life detection | 30, or as required by the nature and sensitivity of the life-detection experiments | 3 × 10−2 |
IVc (1) | Investigations in Special Region, with landing site in Special Region | Full system | 30 | 3 × 10−2 |
IVc (2) | Investigations in Special Region, with landing site outside Special Region | Full system, or subsystems in direct contact with the Special Region | 30 | 3 × 10−2 |