NASA Procedures and Guidelines
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NPR 8020.12D Eff. Date: April 20, 2011 Cancellation Date:	Planetary Protection Provisions for Robotic Extraterrestrial Missions
| TOC | Preface | Chapter1 | Chapter2 | Chapter3 | Chapter4 | Chapter5 | AppdendixA | AppendixB | AppendixC | AppendixD | ALL |

Preface

P.1 Purpose

a. This document sets forth NASA requirements applicable to robotic planetary flight programs. These requirements are necessary to enable the Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate (SMD AA) to fulfill his/her responsibilities pertaining to planetary protection, as required by NPD 8020.7 (Biological Contamination Control for Outbound and Inbound Planetary Spacecraft).

b. This document specifically addresses: (1) the control of terrestrial microbial contamination associated with robotic space vehicles intended to land, orbit, flyby, or otherwise encounter extraterrestrial solar system bodies, and (2) the control of contamination of the Earth and the Moon by extraterrestrial material collected and returned by robotic missions.

P.2 Applicability

a. This NPR is applicable to NASA Headquarters and NASA Centers, including Component Facilities and Technical and Service Support Centers. This language applies to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a Federally Funded Research and Development Center, and other contractors, grant recipients, or parties to agreements to the extent specified or referenced in the appropriate contracts, grants, or agreements.

b. The requirements of this document apply to all robotic missions that may encounter other solar system bodies, including those to and from the Earth's Moon, and to all robotic solar system exploration missions returning extraterrestrial samples to the Earth or the Moon.

c. This document is specifically not applicable to the following:

(1) terrestrial (Earth-orbital) missions.

(2) human missions, except for robotic planetary missions launched using manned spacecraft.

d. NASA officials responsible for applicable flight programs and projects will impose these requirements in such directives or contractual instruments as may be necessary to ensure their implementation.

P.3 Authority

a. The National Aeronautics and Space Act, 51 U.S.C. § 20113(a).

b. NPD 8020.7 Biological Contamination Control for Outbound and Inbound Planetary Spacecraft.

P.4 Applicable Documents and Forms

a. NPD 7120.5, NASA Space Flight Program and Project Management Requirements.

b. NPD 8010.3, Notification of Intent to Decommission or Terminate Operating Space Systems and Terminate Missions.

c. NPR 8715.6A, NASA Procedural Requirements for Limiting Orbital Debris.

d. Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) Planetary Protection Policy, as amended.

e. NASA HDBK 6022, NASA Standard Procedures for the Microbial Examination of Space Hardware (draft).

P.5 Measurement/Verification

a. To ensure compliance with this NPR, the Planetary Protection Officer (PPO) monitors the planetary protection (PP) -related activities and development of required documentation, specified in this document, by individual missions and approves the final products. Signed and approved documents are to be completed in association with Key Decision Points as described in this document and NPD 7120.5.

b. Project compliance with requirements described in this NPR is subject to verification by the PPO who is responsible for certifying to the SMD AA, prior to the launch of a planetary mission, that all planetary protection requirements have been met.

P.6 Cancellation

NPR 8020.12C, Planetary Protection Provisions for Robotic Extraterrestrial Missions, dated April 27, 2005.

/S/
E. J. Weiler
Associate Administrator for Science Mission Directorate

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