NASA’s dilemma: how to investigate the water found on Mars without contaminating the Red Planet in the process – BBC

Image copyright EPA

Image caption The Curiosity investigating the Martian soil since he arrived in 2012.

It was a historic announcement.

This week NASA confirmed that, after years of speculation, found the strongest evidence of the presence of liquid water on the surface of Mars.

Those long, dark lines observed in some regions of the world are due to salt water flows downhill slide craters and outstanding during the summer months, experts

Read:. Why is it so important that there is flowing water on Mars

The news immediately led to the big question: if water Is it possible then to find microbial life on Mars?

The best way to answer this question is obviously looking for her.

But before this perspective, the US space agency faces a dilemma. How to do it without polluting the planet in the process

Wrong category

In theory NASA You may order now at The robot Curiosity that is investigating the field-you approach one of the four areas where hydrated salts have been detected in recent days.

The problem is that the robot is not sterile and can contaminate the area with terrestrial microbes that inadvertently joined the trip and can get to be alive.

Image copyright EPA

Image caption Following the announcement, came the inevitable question: there may be life on Mars?

The vehicle is taking samples and looking for evidence of whether Mars was habitable in the past since arriving at Mars in August 2012.

Now could approach to find places to take a closer look and use their instruments to analyze soil composition

See also:. Closure of one year to simulate life on Mars tests human society

But there is an organization, the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR, for its acronym in English) that property has and a set of rules to prevent human pollute the pristine worlds without explore.

According to this entity, robots landing in this case, amarticen- on a celestial body other than the Earth on a mission to search for life must be exceptionally clean.

These are described as IVb category vehicles.

But for those who enter special areas, as would be the case now discovered on Mars by NASA areas, the rules are still more stringent.

Such vehicles, like Curiosity, fall into the category IVc.

And, as established Cospar, you can not come.

2018

In the coming months discussions will focus on what you can or can not do the Curiosity and how far they may approach.

However, beyond the regulations, the debate extends to what the real possibilities of contamination.

Image copyright Getty

Image caption The Cospar seeks to prevent human pollute unexplored worlds.

Some experts believe that the risk is minimal and that even if there is contamination, genetic analysis can show how life forms belong to a planet and what the other.

Others like Jim Green, NASA expert, say the intense radiation of Mars, especially ultraviolet light, is enough to kill any stowaway Earth.

While for National Academy of Sciences and the Foundation for Science happen quite the opposite. consider that the ultraviolet light would prosper

Read: Pablo de Leon, the Argentine who designed the first home on Mars

Until the discussion ditch hope will be on the future robots to Mars . Although this will have to wait.

The next mission will send a robot is the ExoMars, the Russian and European space agencies. And it is not expected until 2018.