[meteorite-list] Mars life concerns

[Ron Baalke]

>    First off, the microbes on the Surveyor camera were most likely
> introduced by the astronauts themselves during handling.  The camera
> was kept in the Apollo lander and then the command module along with
> the astronauts, without any sort of contamination protection, for the
> entire trip back to Earth.  Between them and the NASA ground staff that
> unloaded the Apollo module and what-not, by far the easier answer for
> the presence of common human-dwelling microbes is introduction by
> contamination rather than extended survival in a radiation-heavy hard
> vacuum.

Most people don't realize the Surveyor 3 camera was not placed into
quarantine until it was returned to Earth. Because of this, contanimation
by the astronauts cannot be ruled out.  

Ron Baalke