Source: TH
Planetary protection aims to prevent contamination of Earth’s biosphere and other planetary bodies by alien microbial life during space missions. It ensures that missions to the Moon, Mars, or other celestial bodies do not compromise their environments or introduce harmful elements.
This principle, established under Article IX of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, requires spacecraft to be thoroughly cleaned and sterilized to maintain pristine conditions. For instance, China’s Tianwen-3 Mars mission, set for 2028, will adhere to these guidelines.
India’s involvement in planetary protection includes:
- Mars Missions: India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) in 2014 was designed with planetary protection measures to avoid contaminating Mars.
- Policy Adherence: India follows planetary protection guidelines in accordance with the Outer Space Treaty, ensuring missions adhere to contamination prevention protocols.
- Spacecraft Cleaning: ISRO implements stringent sterilization processes for spacecraft to comply with planetary protection standards.
- International Collaboration: India collaborates with global space agencies to share best practices and enhance planetary protection efforts.
India is a signatory to the 1967 Outer Space Treaty (OST). India ratified the treaty in March 1967, 15 years after the United States, the Soviet Union, and 63 other UN participants signed it on January 27, 1967.
The OST is a treaty that commits countries to the peaceful exploration and use of outer space. India is also a signatory to several other international treaties related to space, including the Rescue Agreement (1968), the Liability Convention (1972), the Registration Convention (1976), and the Moon Agreement (1979)
