When Biospheres Collide: A History of NASA's Planetary Protection Programs

by Michael Meltzer

NASA SP-2011-4234. This book presents the history of planetary protection by tracing the responses to the concerns on NASA's missions to the Moon, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and many smaller bodies of our solar system. The book relates the extensive efforts put forth by NASA to plan operations and prepare space vehicles that return exemplary science without contaminating the biospheres of other worlds or our own. To protect irreplaceable environments, NASA has committed to conducting space exploration in a manner that is protective of the bodies visited, as well as of our own planet.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction

ebook

First published September 14, 2011

Reviews

[Rachel]

Tried it, couldn't hack it. Did learn some interesting things about Project West Ford though.

[H.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suggested reading for a class...

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

An outstanding history of planetary protection.