NASA Procedural Requirements

NPR 8715.24 Effective Date: September 24, 2021 Expiration Date: September 24, 2026

Subject: Planetary Protection Provisions for Robotic Extraterrestrial Missions

Responsible Office: Office of Safety and Mission Assurance

Chapter 1. Introduction

1.1 Overview

1.1.1 Planetary protection is the practice of protecting solar system bodies from harmful contamination by terrestrial materials to enable scientific exploration and protecting the Earth-Moon system from possible harmful extraterrestrial contamination that may be returned from other solar system bodies.

1.1.2 Planetary protection refers to the policy and practice of protecting current and future scientific investigations by limiting biological and relevant molecular contamination of other solar system bodies through exploration activities and protecting the Earth’s biosphere by avoiding harmful biological contamination carried on returning spacecraft, as described in the Outer Space Treaty. The main strategies are to:

a. Understand and control harmful contamination of other worlds by terrestrial organisms, organic materials, and volatiles carried or released by spacecraft (referred to as forward contamination) in order to assure integrity in the search for evidence of extraterrestrial life and the study of prebiotic chemistry in the solar system for the appropriate period of biological exploration.

b. Rigorously prevent harmful biological contamination of the Earth-Moon system by potential extraterrestrial life and bioactive molecules in returned samples from habitable worlds (referred to as backward contamination).

1.1.3 NASA will use risk-informed decision making processes defined in NPR 8000.4 for balancing the needs of scientific discovery, space exploration, commercial activities, and safety.

1.2 Utilization of Current Scientific Consensus Throughout the Project Life Cycle

1.2.1 Planetary protection categorization of NASA missions to solar system bodies, described in Appendix C of this document, is guided by the COSPAR policy and guidelines, as amended August 2020 (see for Appendix D additional information), as an accepted approach for demonstrating compliance with the Outer Space Treaty.

1.2.2 Assignment of a planetary protection category for a mission is based on current scientific consensus regarding the destination and mission operations, informed by COSPAR policy and guidelines, advice from the NASEM, and other expert advice.

1.2.3 Throughout the project life cycle and mission operations, the following project activities are to be consistent with the current scientific consensus:

a. Categorization of planetary protection for NASA missions (see section 3.1.1). All missions to the Moon and beyond are assigned a categorization for the outbound phase. Missions returning samples to the Earth-Moon system are assigned a categorization for the return phase in addition to the outbound planetary protection mission category.

b. Identification of applicable Agency planetary protection requirements, including any considerations for tailoring of the mission’s planetary protection requirements (see section 3.1.2).

c. Establishment and verification of the planned implementation activities to achieve compliance with applicable planetary protection requirements (see section 3.1.3).

d. Execution and oversight of the implementation demonstrating compliance with applicable planetary protection requirements throughout the project life cycle (see sections 3.2 and 3.3).

1.2.4 Significant new scientific discoveries made and accepted as current scientific consensus during project formulation, implementation, and operations may change constraints on a project throughout its life-cycle.

1.3 Planetary Protection Considerations for Participation in Partnered Missions

1.3.1 For each mission, planetary protection categorization and demonstration of compliance with applicable planetary protection requirements are the responsibility of the lead partner or agency. The lead partner or agency for a mission is established as part of the negotiations with all relevant parties to applicable contracts, grants, and agreements. If NASA is not the lead agency, then the lead partner or agency demonstrates compliance with the Outer Space Treaty. COSPAR policy and guidelines is an accepted approach for demonstrating compliance with the Outer Space Treaty.

1.3.2 NASA may provide hardware, services, data, funding, deep-space communication, and other resources to non-NASA missions to which this directive is applicable (including but not limited to resources agreements) provided that the recipient organization, whether governmental or private entity, uses reasonable efforts to implement planetary protection measures generally consistent with the COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy and Guidelines or the planetary protection measures NASA would take for like missions.

1.4 Delegation of Responsibilities

1.4.1 Unless specifically prohibited, responsibilities and requirements may be delegated. The stated role or actor remains accountable for its implementation and outcome.

1.4.2 Where an office or organization is stated as the actor of a requirement, the Official in Charge of that office or organization is responsible and accountable for the action and its outcome.

1.5 Request for Relief

NPR 8715.3, NASA General Safety Program Requirements (see for additional information), defines the process for requesting and granting relief from requirements within this directive and standards incorporated by reference herein.

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