[meteorite-list] re "Alien Microbes Could Survive Crash-Landing"

[mark ford]

<Drum roll>

And the answer is ... 'They aint sterile'

Just a Token effort....  <Cymbol>


:)



-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Harris [mailto:entropydave at ntlworld.com] 
Sent: 14 September 2004 09:05
To: metlist
Subject: [meteorite-list] re "Alien Microbes Could Survive
Crash-Landing" 

Hi,
I found this an interesting thread and it got me thinking about the
various
crafts we send to other planets (ie Mars).  I cannot see how one can
practically completely 100% sterilise the Mars Rovers - surely any
methods
required to perform an efficient sterilysis would damage the delicate
components - one cannot irradiate thoroughly - it would affect any
polymers
(at least) used in the construction, nor could one pump it full of
ethylene
dioxide, or whatever they use as I cannot see that being particularly
healthy for the systems... so how is it done?  Have we not contaminated
Mars
with our organic debris already?

When I have seen images of the construction of various crafts in the
clean
rooms - it always amazes me that the engineers, whilst garbed in hats
and
facemasks, still have quite a percentage of skin showing - which must
shed
flakes and bugs into the environment. 

What are the implications then of a Rover 'discovering' signs of life on
another world? Can we determine that this material was not just a
passenger
on Rover and that all we are looking at is our own dirt?!


Interesting....



dave


IMCA #0092
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