Planetary Protection

Planetary protection refers to the measures taken to prevent contamination of celestial bodies by Earth organisms and vice versa. This is important to preserve the integrity of scientific studies about life in space and to avoid potential harm to Earth's ecosystems. When sending spacecraft to other planets or moons, strict protocols are followed to sterilize equipment. Likewise, if we were to bring samples back to Earth, they undergo rigorous testing to ensure they don't introduce unknown microorganisms. The goal is to safeguard both our planet and the celestial environments we explore.