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I really dont see whats so difficult about a sample return mission. Russia and the US did them in the 60's on the moon and that was with primitive technology. It wouldn't have taken much to stick a small return rocket on one of the rovers and sent a sample back into orbit, which could dock with a return vehicle. Then when it arrives in earth orbit we could rendevous with it and return it via the shuttle. (Thereby preventing the need for reentry vehicle and possible contamination if the sample crashes).
In any case We have (in fact, I have) Martian Meteorite rocks here on earth. if there is back contamination. it's already taken place, Since anything that could survive on Mars with it's hostile radiation and temperatures, would likley survive a trip to earth trapped deep inside a chunk of martian meteorite.
An SRM WILL HAPPEN if it's not the US then another country like Europe or Japan or China will do it - maybe Beagle 3!
This makes a lot more sense than sending people there just to do a robots job! and at a fraction of the risk/cost.
Yeah, When you look at the way the assembled systems are handled all the way through the production process, they wear suits but half thier face and their noses aren't even covered! and this is while they pack it into the launch vehicle holder!
I have never got a straight answer from anyone at NASA, it is my belief that it was a 'token effort' sterilization, because as you say previous probes were not sterilized properly on hindsight.
BUT every extra probe we send that is not properly sterilized increases the odds that something survived. We cannot afford to contaminate a whole planet until we know either way wether life exist(ed) on Mars.
There are international agreements in place that are supposed to ensure that contamination doesn't happen, I just hope they have stuck to it, or there is little point in searching for biological life on Mars!
some photo's at [http://athena.cornell.edu/the_mission/rov_saf_gal.html]http://athena.cornell.edu/the_mission/rov_saf_gal.html
Hi,
I have been trying to acertain exactly how NASA sterilized the Mars Rovers rovers, (to prevent contamination from terrestrial microbes).
Someone told me they used Ethylene Oxide gas, However during the Viking Lander missions they researched into many ways of doing this and Ethylene Ooxide was dicounted as useless due to topographical impracticalities and the fact that it doesnt kill all know microbes.
The Viking research basically said all parts must be stripped down and heat treated etc. Yet when you look at NASA photo's of the rovers being finally assembled, they are not all even wearing facemasks masks ! So how did they ensure total sterility?