EN 16604-20:2020

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-marec-2020
Vesoljska vzdržljivost - Planetarna zaščita
Space sustainability - Planetary protection
Nachhaltigkeit im Weltraum - Planetarer Schutz
Développement durabel de l'espace - Protection planétaire
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 16604-20:2020
ICS:
49.140 Vesoljski sistemi in operacije Space systems and
operations
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN 16604-20
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
January 2020
ICS 49.140
English version
Space sustainability - Planetary protection
Durabilité des activités spatiales - Protection Nachhaltigkeit im Weltraum - Planetarer Schutz
planétaire
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 25 November 2019.

CEN and CENELEC members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for
giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical
references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to
any CEN and CENELEC member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN and CENELEC member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN and CENELEC members are the national standards bodies and national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium,
Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom.

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre:
Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2020 CEN/CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means Ref. No. EN 16604-20:2020 E
reserved worldwide for CEN national Members and for
CENELEC Members.
Table of contents
European Foreword . 4
Introduction . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 7
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms . 8
3.1 Terms from other standards . 8
3.2 Terms specific to the present standard . 8
3.3 Abbreviated terms. 11
3.4 Nomenclature . 12
4 Principles . 13
4.1 Planetary protection roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities . 13
4.1.1 COSPAR . 13
4.1.2 Customer level . 13
4.1.3 Supplier level . 14
4.2 Planetary protection category definitions . 14
4.2.1 Overview . 14
4.2.2 Category I . 14
4.2.3 Category II . 15
4.2.4 Category III . 15
4.2.5 Category IV . 15
4.2.6 Category V . 16
4.3 Mars special regions . 17
4.3.1 Introduction . 17
4.3.2 Parameter and features definition for Mars special region definitions . 17
5 Requirements . 19
5.1 Management requirements for all missions . 19
5.2 Generic technical requirements . 19

5.2.1 Flight hardware assembly . 19
5.2.2 Probability of impact . 20
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5.2.3 Probability of contamination . 20
5.3 Technical requirements for specific missions . 21
5.3.1 Moon missions . 21
5.3.2 Mars missions . 21
5.3.3 Europa and Enceladus missions . 25
5.3.4 Missions to small Solar system bodies . 26
5.4 Planetary protection procedures . 27
5.4.1 Bioburden controlled environments . 27
5.4.2 Bioburden assessment . 27
5.4.3 Biodiversity assessment . 29
5.4.4 Bioburden reduction . 29
5.5 Documentation . 29
5.6 Reviews . 30
5.7 Nonconformances and waivers . 31
Annex A (normative) Planetary protection requirements - DRD . 32
Annex B (normative) Planetary protection plan - DRD . 34
Annex C (normative) Planetary protection implementation plan - DRD . 36
Annex D (normative) Pre-launch planetary protection report - DRD . 39
Annex E (normative) Post-launch planetary protection report - DRD . 41
Annex F (normative) Extended mission planetary protection report - DRD . 42
Annex G (normative) End-of-mission planetary protection report - DRD . 43
Annex H (normative) Organic materials inventory - DRD . 44
Annex I (informative) Guidelines for human Mars missions . 45
Bibliography . 46

Tables
Table 5-1: Bioburden estimation . 28
Table 5-2: Planetary protection documentation . 30
European Foreword
This document (EN 16604-20:2020) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/CLC/TC 5
“Space”, the secretariat of which is held by DIN (Germany).
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by July 2020, and conflicting national standards shall be
withdrawn at the latest by July 2020.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document (EN 16604-20:2020) originates from ECSS-U-ST-20C.
This document has been developed to cover specifically space systems and will therefore have
precedence over any EN covering the same scope but with a wider domain of applicability (e.g. :
aerospace).
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and the United Kingdom.
1 August 2019
Introduction
Sustainability in the context of space activities is a concept that becomes more
relevant. Planetary protection regulations have applied this concept at the
international scale already for over half a century.
The legal basis for planetary protection was established in Article IX of the
United Nations Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the
Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and other Celestial
Bodies (Outer Space Treaty).
The Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) provides a forum for
international consultation and has formulated a planetary protection policy
with associated requirements as an international standard to guide compliance
with Article IX of the Outer Space Treaty.
COSPAR’s planetary protection policy and associated requirements are based
on two rationales:
1. The Earth must be protected from the potential hazard posed by extraterrestrial
matter carried by a spacecraft returning from an interplanetary mission
(backward planetary protection).
2. The conduct of scientific investigations of possible extraterrestrial life forms,
precursors, and remnants must not be jeopardized (forward planetary
protection).
This standard describes the planetary protection requirements for spaceflight
missions based on the COSPAR planetary protection policy and requirements.
The content of this document has been coordinated with the already existing
ESA and NASA standards to ensure that requirements, documentation and
reviews cover the needs and obligations of international partners for joint
missions or contributions to a third party mission.
Scope
This standard contains planetary protection requirements, including:
• Planetary protection management requirements;
• Technical planetary protection requirements for robotic and human
missions (forward and backward contamination);
• Planetary protection requirements related to procedures;
• Document Requirements Descriptions (DRD) and their relation to the
respective reviews.
This standard may be tailored for the specific characteristic and constraints of a
space project in conformance with ECSS-S-ST-00.
1 August 2019
Normative references
The following normative documents contain provisions which, through
reference in this text, constitute provisions of this ECSS Standard. For dated
references, subsequent amendments to, or revision of any of these publications
do not apply. However, parties to agreements based on this ECSS Standard are
encouraged to investigate the possibility of applying the more recent editions of
the normative documents indicated below. For undated references, the latest
edition of the publication referred to applies.

EN reference Reference in text Title
EN 16601-00-01 ECSS-S-ST-00-01 ECSS System – Glossary of terms
EN 16602-10-09 ECSS-Q-ST-10-09 Space product assurance – Nonconformance control
system
EN 16602-40 ECSS-Q-ST-40 Space product assurance - Safety
EN 16602-70-01 ECSS-Q-ST-70-01 Space product assurance – Cleanliness and
contamination control
EN 16602-70-53 ECSS-Q-ST-70-53 Space product assurance – Materials and hardware
compatibility tests for sterilization processes
EN 16602-70-55 ECSS-Q-ST-70-55 Space product assurance – Microbial examination of
flight hardware and cleanrooms
EN 16602-70-56 ECSS-Q-ST-70-56 Space product assurance – Vapour phase bioburden
reduction of flight hardware
EN 16602-70-57 ECSS-Q-ST-70-57 Space product assurance – Dry heat bioburden
reduction of flight hardware
EN 16602-70-58 ECSS-Q-ST-70-58 Space product assurance – Bioburden control of
cleanrooms
IADC-WD-00-03 Interagency Debris Committee Protection Manual
Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms
3.1 Terms from other standards
a. For the purpose of this Standard, the terms and definitions from ECSS-S-
ST-00-01 apply.
b. For the purpose of this Standard the following terms and definitions
from ECSS-Q-ST-70-53 apply:
1. micro-organism
c. For the purpose of this Standard the following terms and definitions
from ECSS-Q-ST-70-58 apply:
1. bioburden
2. biodiversity
3. sterilization
3.2 Terms specific to the present standard
3.2.1 assay
collection and analysis of biological contamination with a specified procedure
3.2.2 controlled condition
condition that avoids degradation of material samples and that allows
traceability of flight project hardware
3.2.3 encapsulated bioburden
bioburden inside the bulk of non-metallic materials not manufactured with
ALM
NOTE 1 Examples are bioburden inside paints,
conformal coatings, thermal coatings,
adhesives, composite materials, closed-cell
foam.
NOTE 2 The encapsulated bioburden of ALM
manufactured materials is currently unknown.
3.2.4 exposed surfaces
internal and external surfaces free for gas exchange
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3.2.5 extant life
form of life, or signatures thereof, whether metabolically active or dormant
3.2.6 extinct life
form of life, or signatures thereof, that is unambiguously no longer
metabolically active or dormant
3.2.7 highly controlled
bioburden control of cleanroom by use of full body coverall, hood, face mask,
gloves and boots, restricted access, dedicated cleaning and periodic
microbiological monitoring
3.2.8 inbound leg

part of the mission returning to Earth
3.2.9 life detection investigation
scientific investigations that can detect signatures of life
3.2.10 Mars special region
area or volume with sufficient water activity and sufficiently warm
temperatures to permit the replication of Earth organisms
[COSPAR’s Planetary Protection Policy, Space Research Today, 200, 2017 [2]]
NOTE See also parameter and feature definition in
clause 4.3.
3.2.11 mated surfaces
surfaces joined by fasteners rather than by adhesives
3.2.12 normally controlled
use of gowning equivalent to the specific cleanroom particulate class
3.2.13 organic material
material that contain either covalent C-H or C-C bonds and functional groups
NOTE Organic material can fall in several of the
material groups of a DML.
3.2.14 outbound leg

part of the mission leaving Earth
3.2.15 planetary protection approval authority
entity that specifies, for a given project, the planetary protection categorization,
detailed technical planetary protection requirements, and reviews their
implementation
NOTE Such an entity is a space agency or federal
agency, i.e. customer, under delegation by the
government signatory of the UN Outer Space
Treaty.
3.2.16 planetary protection category
category assigned to reflect the interest and concern that terrestrial
contamination can compromise future investigations and depends on the target
body and mission type
NOTE Different requirements are associated to the
various categories.
3.2.17 protected Solar system body

Solar system bodies, including planets and moons, for which there is significant
scientific interest relative to the process of chemical evolution and the origins of
life and for which scientific opinion provides a significant chance that
contamination by a spacecraft can compromise future investigations
NOTE In accordance with this definition and the
categories defined in 4.2, protected Solar
system bodies are assigned to planetary
protection category III and IV.
3.2.18 restricted Earth return
planetary protection sub-category V for sample return missions from Solar
system bodies deemed by scientific opinion to have a possibility of harbouring
indigenous life forms
3.2.19 safety critical function
function that can lead to the risk of releasing unsterilized material from a
specific solar system body and flight hardware exposed to unsterilized material
from a specific solar system body into the terrestrial environment
3.2.20 services
launch services, communication services and relay functions provided
3.2.21 swab
tool to collect biological contamination with a specific procedure
NOTE See also 3.2.1 “assay”.
3.2.22 unrestricted Earth return
planetary protection sub-category V for sample return missions from Solar
system bodies deemed by scientific opinion to have no indigenous life forms
3.2.23 water activity
ratio of the vapour pressure of water in a material to the vapour pressure of
pure water at the same temperature
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3.2.24 wipe
tool to collect biological contamination with a specific procedure
NOTE See also 3.2.1 “assay”.
3.3 Abbreviated terms
For the purpose of this Standard, the abbreviated terms from ECSS-S-ST-00-01
and the following apply:
Abbreviation Meaning
assembly, integration and test
AIT
assembly, integration and verification
AIV
additive layer manufacturing
ALM
Best Available Technique
BAT
critical design review
CDR
Committee on Space Research
COSPAR
dry heat microbial reduction
DHMR
declared material list
DML
document requirements definition
DRD
European Cooperation for Space Standardization
ECSS
European Space Agency
ESA
flight acceptance review
FAR
flight readiness review
FRR
International Organization for Standardization
ISO
launch readiness review
LRR
Mars sample return
MSR
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASA
planetary protection approval authority
PPAA
Probabilistic Risk Assessment
PRA
preliminary requirements review
PRR
small body
SB
system requirements review
SRR
space studies board
SSB
standard temperature and pressure
STP
verification control document
VCD
3.4 Nomenclature
The following nomenclature applies throughout this document:
a. The word “shall” is used in this Standard to express requirements. All
the requirements are expressed with the word “shall”.
b. The word “should” is used in this Standard to express recommendations.
All the recommendations are expressed with the word “should”.
NOTE It is expected that, during tailoring,
recommendations in this document are either
converted into requirements or tailored out.
c. The words “may” and “need not” are used in this Standard to express
positive and negative permissions, respectively. All the positive
permissions are expressed with the word “may”. All the negative
permissions are expressed with the words “need not”.
d. The word “can” is used in this Standard to express capabilities or
possibilities, and therefore, if not accompanied by one of the previous
words, it implies descriptive text.
NOTE In ECSS “may” and “can” have completely
different meanings: “may” is normative
(permission), and “can” is descriptive.
e. The present and past tenses are used in this Standard to express
statements of fact, and therefore they imply descriptive text.
1 August 2019
Principles
4.1 Planetary protection roles, responsibilities, and
accountabilities
4.1.1 COSPAR
COSPAR maintains and promulgates a planetary protection policy for the
reference of spacefaring nations, both as an international standard on
procedures to avoid organic constituent and biological contamination in space
exploration, and to provide accepted guidelines and requirements in this area
to guide compliance with the wording of the Outer Space Treaty [1]. Content of
the Agency level planetary protection report to COSPAR is described in the
COSPAR Planetary Protection Policy (COSPAR’s Planetary Protection Policy,
Space Research Today, 200, 2017) [2].
4.1.2 Customer level
The correct implementation of the COSPAR planetary protection policy is
ensured by establishing a planetary protection organisation and management
system with a Planetary Protection Approval Authority (PPAA) function
responsible for:
• Issue or approve planetary protection categorization and requirements
for flight projects.
• Perform assessments, in coordination with the implementing project,
including inspections and reviews of facilities, equipment, procedures
and practices as appropriate to ensure compliance with the planetary
protection requirements.
• Verify the planetary protection compliance in the course of flight
projects, prior to launch, and in the case of returning spacecraft prior to
the return phase of the mission, prior to Earth entry, and again prior to
the release of returned samples.
• Report to COSPAR on the planetary protection compliance of spaceflight
missions.
4.1.3 Supplier level
The supplier is responsible for the correct identification and implementation of
the planetary protection requirements at project level.
In particular, the supplier is responsible to:
• Propose to the customer the planetary protection requirements specific to
the project by tailoring this standard;
• Ensure the flow-down of planetary protection requirements to suppliers
down the supply chain and payload providers;
• Define the planetary protection implementation and management
approach;
• Define the planetary protection responsibilities within the project;
• Prepare project-level planetary protection documentation;
• Consider the implementation of the recommendations of reviews with
respect to planetary protection aspects.
4.2 Planetary protection category definitions
4.2.1 Overview
The different planetary protection categories reflect the level of interest and
concern that terrestrial contamination can compromise the conduct of scientific
investigations of possible extraterrestrial life forms, precursors, and remnants.
Each planetary protection category comes with a set of planetary protection
requirements. The planetary protection categories and associated requirements
depend on the target body and mission type combinations.
The following descriptions of Categories I to V are based on the COSPAR
classification at the time of issuing this standard [2]. The latest and applicable
classification and associated requirements are provided, for each particular
case, by the PPAA.
4.2.2 Category I
4.2.2.1 Description
All types of missions to a target body for which there is no significant scientific
interest relative to the process of chemical evolution and the origins of life.
4.2.2.2 Applicability
S-type asteroids, Io, Mercury.
4.2.2.3 Type of requirements to be considered
None.
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4.2.3 Category II
4.2.3.1 Description
All types of missions to a target body for which there is significant scientific
interest relative to the process of chemical evolution and the origins of life but
for which scientific opinion provides only a remote chance that contamination
by a spacecraft can compromise future investigations.
4.2.3.2 Applicability
Venus, Moon (with organic material inventory), Comets, P, D, and C-type
asteroids, Jupiter, Jovian satellites (except Io, Europa, and Ganymede),
Ganymede (with probability of contamination analysis), Saturn, Saturnian
satellites (except Titan and Enceladus), Titan (with probability of contamination
analysis), Uranus, Uranian satellites, Neptune, Neptunian satellites (except
Triton), Triton (with probability of contamination analysis), Pluto and Charon
(with probability of contamination analysis), Kuiper Belt Objects ≤ ½ size of
Pluto, Kuiper Belt Objects > ½ size of Pluto (with probability of contamination
analysis ).
4.2.3.3 Type of requirements to be considered
Simple documentation; probability of contamination analysis that can lead to
Category III and IV requirements.
4.2.4 Category III
4.2.4.1 Description
Fly-by and orbital missions to a target body for which there is significant
scientific interest relative to the process of chemical evolution and the origins of
life and for which scientific opinion provides a significant chance that
contamination by a spacecraft can compromise future investigations.
4.2.4.2 Applicability
Mars, Europa, Enceladus.
4.2.4.3 Type of requirements to be considered
Detailed documentation, organic materials inventory, trajectory bias and orbital
lifetime, bioburden control.
4.2.5 Category IV
4.2.5.1 Description
Surface missions to a target body for which there is significant scientific interest
relative to the process of chemical evolution and the origins of life and for
which scientific opinion provides a significant chance that contamination by a
spacecraft can compromise future investigations. Category IV for Mars is
subdivided into Category IVa (basic requirements for all Mars surface
missions), IVb (missions with life detection investigations), and IVc (missions
accessing Mars special regions).
4.2.5.2 Applicability
Mars, Europa, Enceladus.
4.2.5.3 Type of requirements to be considered
Detailed documentation, organic materials inventory, trajectory bias, orbital
lifetime, bioburden control, bioburden reduction or sterilization for a large
number of materials, parts and assemblies.
4.2.6 Category V
4.2.6.1 Description
All Earth-return missions. For Solar system bodies deemed by scientific opinion
to have no indigenous life forms, a subcategory “unrestricted Earth return” is
defined. For all other Category V missions a subcategory “restricted Earth
return” is defined.
NOTE The Earth’s Moon is considered part of the
Earth-Moon system and has the same level of
protection from backward contamination as the
Earth to avoid planetary protection
requirements for lunar missions from the Earth
to the Moon.
4.2.6.2 Applicability
Restricted Earth return – Mars, Europa, Enceladus; Unrestricted Earth return -
Venus, Moon, S-type asteroids, Io, Mercury.
4.2.6.3 Type of requirements to be considered
a. Unrestricted Earth return missions have planetary protection
requirements on the outbound phase only, corresponding to the category
of that phase (typically Category I or II).
b. For restricted Earth return missions there is a need for:
1. Containment throughout the return phase of all returned hardware
which directly contacted the target body or unsterilized material
from the body;
2. Containment of any unsterilized sample collected and returned to
Earth;
3. Conducting timely analyses of any unsterilized sample collected
and returned to Earth, under strict containment, and using the
most suitable techniques to cope with required sensitivity. If any
1 August 2019
sign of the existence of a non-terrestrial replicating entity is found,
containment of the returned sample, unless treated by an effective
sterilizing procedure.
c. Requirements for the outbound phase are typically Category IV.
4.3 Mars special regions
4.3.1 Introduction
Mars special regions definition is based on [2].
NOTE See also definition 3.2.10 “Mars special region”.
4.3.2 Parameter and features definition for Mars
special region definitions
a. The physical parameters delineating applicable water activity and
temperature thresholds are:
1. Lower limit for water activity: 0,5
2. Lower limit for temperature: -28 °C; no upper limit defined
3. Timescale within which limits can be identified: 500 years
b. Observed features to be treated as Special Regions until demonstrated
otherwise:
1. Gullies (taxon 2-4) and bright streaks associated with gullies, (see
NOTE 1)
2. Subsurface cavities
3. Subsurface below 5 metres
4. Confirmed and partially confirmed Recurrent Slope Lineae (RSL),
(see NOTE 2)
NOTE 1 Description for Gully taxon [3]
NOTE 2 Observational evidence for Recurrent Slope
Lineae (RSL), adapted from [4]:
• Confirmed: observed simultaneous
incremental growth of flows on a warm
slope, fading, and recurrence of this
sequence in multiple Mars years
• Partially confirmed: observed either
incremental growth or recurrence
• Candidate: slope lineae that resemble RSL
but where observations needed for partial
confirmation are currently lacking
c. Features, if found, to be treated as a Special Region until demonstrated
otherwise:
1. Groundwater
2. Source of methane
3. Geothermal activity
4. Modern outflow channel
d. Observed features that require a case-by-case evaluation before being
classified as a Special Region:
1. Dark streaks
2. Pasted-on terrain
3. Candidate RSL
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Requirements
5.1 Management requirements for all missions
a. The PPAA shall provide to the supplier planetary protection related
obligations of relevant external authorities.
b. The supplier shall prepare a preliminary Planetary Protection
Requirements document in conformance with the DRD in Annex A
during the Phase A and no later than the PRR.
c. For missions that target or encounter multiple Solar system bodies, the
preliminary Planetary Protection Requirements document shall include
requirements for all the protected Solar system bodies.
d. The Planetary Protection Requirements document shall be subject to
approval by the PPAA and released at the latest at SRR.
e. The delivery of hardware and services to a third-party mission with
planetary protection constraints shall be subject to approval by the
PPAA.
NOTE The customer of the mission lead of the third-
part mission bears the overall planetary
protection responsibility at mission level,
including assigning, monitoring, reviewing and
approving planetary protection categories and
associated requirements.
f. Impact of significant changes in the mission concept on the planetary
protection requirements and implementation approach shall be assessed
by the supplier and are subject to approval by the PPAA.
g. The PPAA, or its designated entity, shall conduct independent
verification assays on flight hardware and controlled environments,
including launch site, during the course of the project at times and
intervals planned and agreed with the supplier.
5.2 Generic technical requirements
5.2.1 Flight hardware assembly
a. Except as specified in 5.3.2.1d, all flight hardware subject to planetary
protection constraints shall be assembled and maintained until and
including launch in ISO class 8 cleanrooms “in operation”, or better, as
specified in ECSS-Q-ST-70-01.
5.2.2 Probability of impact
a. A probability of impact analysis on protected Solar system bodies shall
be performed and a report delivered for customer and PPAA review.
b. The probability of impact analysis specified in 5.2.2a shall include:
1. Single and multiple pass analysis;
2. Hardware, software and operational reliability;
3. Meteoroid impacts and effects on spacecraft reliability;
(a) Meteoroid model (e.g., IMEM 1.1) and parameters (fluence,
directionality, velocity, density and margins) as defined in
the project applicable environmental specifications
(b) Damage equations in IADC-WD-00-03 for the damage
assessment
4. Spacecraft state including location, and velocity vector;
5. Manoeuvre and planet and satellite ephemeris uncertainty;
6. Stochastic variability of the atmospheric density with the
amplitude of the Solar cycle estimated for the mission and sun
epoch.
NOTE 1 Different meteoroid models are used
depending on the mission profile; dedicated
models are currently developed for the Jovian
system.
NOTE 2 Requirements that need a probability of impact
analysis to demonstrate compliance are
described in 5.3.2.1d, 5.3.2.1e.1, and 5.3.3.1b.4.
5.2.3 Probability of contamination
a. Except where numerical requirements are otherwise specified in this
document, the probability of contaminating a Solar system body with
-3
viable terrestrial organisms shall be ≤ 1x10 over a period of 50 years
after the arrival of the mission at the protected Solar system body.
NOTE how compliance to this requirement will be
demonstrated needs to be described in the
Planetary Protection Plan DRD in B.2.1a.3.(e).
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5.3 Technical requirements for specific missions
5.3.1 Moon missions
a. An organic materials inventory of bulk constituents present in quantities
above the limit agreed with the PPAA shall be provided by the project in
conformance with DRD in Annex H.
NOTE This also applies to missions not going to the
Moon but having a final disposition that would
end up on the Moon.
5.3.2 Mars missions
5.3.2.1 General requirements
a. An organic materials inventory of bulk constituents present on the
spacecraft in quantities ≥ 1 kg shall be provided by the supplier in
conformance with DRD in Annex H.
NOTE This requirement is not applicable in case
requirement 5.3.2.1e.1 is met.
b. A 50 gram sample for each organic material used on the spacecraft in
quantities ≥ 25 kg shall be provided by the supplier and stored by the
customer under controlled conditions for 50 years after launch.
NOTE This requirement is not applicable in case
requirement 5.3.2.1e.1 is met.
c. Compliance to all bioburden requirements shall be verified pre-launch.
NOTE This verification is usually done on last
physical access of the flight hardware or
hardware elements, i.e., at delivery of flight
hardware to next level contractor, delivery to
launch site, and at the launch site prior to
fairing closure.
d. The probability of impact on Mars by any element not assembled and
-4
maintained in at least ISO class 8 conditions shall be ≤ 1x10 for the first
50 years after launch for nominal and off-nominal flight conditions.
NOTE Examples are upper stages.
e. One of the following conditions shall be met:
1. The probability of impact on Mars by any part of a spacecraft
assembled and maintained in ISO class 8 conditions, or better, is
-2 -2
≤ 1x10 for the first 20 years after launch, and ≤ 5x10 for the time
period from 20 to 50 years after launch for nominal and off-
nominal flight conditions.
2. The total bioburden of the spacecraft on Mars, including surface,
mated, and encapsulated bioburden, is ≤ 5x10 bacterial spores.
NOTE This requirement is also applicable for fly-by
and gravity assist manoeuvres.
5.3.2.2 Requirements for Mars surface missions
5.3.2.2.1 Overview
Requirements in clause 5.3.2.2.2 are applicable to all Mars surface missions.
Additional requirements apply depending on the mission objective 5.3.2.2.3 and
location on Mars 5.3.2.2.4.
5.3.2.2.2 General
a. The bioburden of the landed system on Mars shall be ≤ 3x10 bacterial
spores on exposed internal and external surfaces.
NOTE Attention – for bioburden allocations to
hardware and payload suppliers take into
account re-contamination during different on-
ground phases (e.g., testing at sub-system and
system level, launch).
b. The average bioburden of the landed system on Mars shall be ≤ 300
bacterial spores/m on exposed internal and external surfaces.
NOTE 1 Attention – for bioburden allocations to
hardware and payload suppliers take into
account re-contamination during different on
ground phases (e.g., testing at sub-system and
system level, launch).
NOTE 2 Attention – for large spacecraft systems the
average bioburden to meet requirement
5.3.2.2.2a needs to be much lower than 300
bacterial spore/m .
c. The supplier shall provide an analysis or assessment whether the
spacecraft during nominal and off-nominal conditions has the potential
to modify the local martian environment in a way that can create a Mars
special region.
NOTE Such an analysis or assessment is in particular
important for spacecraft using radioisotope
heat sources targeting areas with surface or
sub-surface water ice.
d. Planned 3-sigma pre-launch landing ellipses shall be evaluated and
documented on a case-by-case basis as part of the landing site selection
process to determine whether the mission can land or come within
contamination range of areas or volumes meeting the parameter
definition for Mars Special Regions or impinge on already described
features that can be treated as Mars Special Regions.
NOTE This means at least no areas or volumes
meeting the parameter definition for Mars
Special Regions or already described features
1 August 2019
that can be treated as Mars Special Regions can
be within the 3-sigma landing ellipse.
e. The evaluations specified in 5.3.2.2.2c and 5.3.2.2.2d shall be based on the
latest scientific evidence and include an assessment of the extent to which
the temperature and water activity values specified for Mars Special
Regions are separated in time.
f. The evaluation specified in 5.3.2.2.2d shall be updated during the mission
whenever new evidence indicates that the landing ellipse and the
operational environment contain, or are in contamination range of areas
or volumes meeting the parameter definition for Mars Special Regions.
5.3.2.2.3 Surface missions with life detection
a. For surface mission with life detection one of the following conditions
shall be met:
1. The bioburden of the surface system on Mars is ≤ 30 bacterial
spores on exposed internal and external surfaces, or at a
contamination level driven by the nature and sensitivity of the
particular life-detection investigations.
2. The average bioburden of the subsystems that are involved in the
acquisition, delivery, and analysis of samples used for life-
detection investigations is either:
(a) ≤ 0,03 bacterial spores/m , or
(b) at a contamination level driven by the nature and sensitivity
of the particular life-detection investigations.
NOTE The contamination level driven by the
particular life-detection investigation needs to
be described in the Planetary Protection Plan
DRR, Annex B.
b. The specific contamination level driven by the nature and sensitivity of
the particular life-detection investigation described in 5.3.2.2.3a.1 and
5.3.2.2.3a.2(b) shall be subject to review and approval by the PPAA.
c. Recontamination prevention of the subsystems specified in 5.3.2.2.3a.2
and the samples to be analysed shall be in place until the end of the life-
detection investigations.
5.3.2.2.4 Surface missions accessing Mars special regions
a. If a Mars special region is within the 3-sigma landing ellipse, the
bioburden of the entire surface system on Mars shall be ≤ 30 bacterial
spores on exposed internal and external surfaces.
b. If a Mars special region is accessed through horizontal or vertical
mobility, one of the following conditions shall be met:
1. The bioburden of the entire surface system on Mars is ≤ 30
bacterial spores on exposed internal and external surfaces.
2. The subsystems which directly contact the Mars special region are
sterilized to levels specified in 5.3.2.2.4b.1, and a method of
preventing their recontamination prior to accessing the Mars
special region is in place.
NOTE Example of accessing Mars special regions are
by roving (horizontal mobility) or by drilling
(vertical mobility).
c. If an off-nominal condition can cause a high probability of inadvertent
biological contamination of a Mars special region by the spacecraft the
bioburden shall be the following:
1. The bioburden of the entire surface system on Mars is ≤ 30
bacterial spores on exposed internal and external surfaces, and
2. The total surface, mated, and encapsulated bioburden level on
Mars is ≤ 30 + 1,5 x 10 bacterial spores.
NOTE Example for off-nominal condition is a hard
landing.
5.3.2.3 Mars sample return missions
a. Requirements in clause 5.3.2.2.3 shall be applied to the outbound leg of a
Mars sample return mission.
b. The severity of potential consequences of releasing unsterilized material
from Mars and flight hardware that has been exposed to unsterilized
material from Mars into the terrestrial environment shall be categorised
as catastrophic in accordance with ECSS-Q-ST-40.
NOTE The categorization of this severity level is not
because a catastrophic consequence is expected
but only following the precautionary principle
due to the large number of unknowns.
c. Safety critical functions as defined in 3.2.19 shall be treated as severity
function criticality level 1 in accordance with ECSS-Q-ST-40.
d. The probability that a single unsterilized martian particle of ≥ 0,01 μm in
-6
diameter is released into the terrestrial environment shall be ≤ 1x10 for
the first 100 years after launch from Mars.
NOTE 1 Rationale for this requirement is to “break the
chain of contact” between Mars and Earth.
NOTE 2 Source and context for numerical values in [5].
NOTE 3 The term ‘particle’ includes material from Mars
and flight hardware exposed to material from
Mars.
NOTE 4 If the size requirement of 0,01 μm cannot be
met without decreasing the overall level of
assurance for the non-release of such a particle,
the
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