Post by Andrei Tchentchik on Sept 4, 2020 17:04:28 GMT 2
(.#512).- Precautions so that life E.T does not contaminate the Earth, vice versa.
NASA opens a post so that extraterrestrial life does not contaminate the Earth (and vice versa).
August 02, 2017.
By Grégory Rozières
"The planetary protection officer", who will earn up to $ 187,000 a year, will have to verify that no biological contamination affects a vessel.
WARNER BROS
Nasa opens a post so that extraterrestrial life does not contaminate the Earth (and vice versa)
ESPACE - In recent days, NASA has posted a somewhat special job offer. The American agency is looking for a "planetary protection officer". His role? Protect Earth from contamination by extraterrestrial life, reports Business Insider. And vice versa.
And all very well paid: up to 187,000 dollars per year. It must be said that there are only two people in the world who do this job full time. One for NASA, the other for ESA, the European space agency, even though many people in different agencies are working on these issues. Obviously, the CV that goes with it is particularly difficult. And you might as well shower your hopes right away: you must be an American citizen to apply until August 14.
Currently, it is Catharine Conley who occupies this position for the American agency, specifies Business Insider which interviewed her. The job offer was the result of a relocation of the position to a new Nasa department, but Catharine Conley did not want to specify if she applied to keep this job.
Respect the Space Treaty
But what exactly is it for, a planetary protection officer? To avoid "biological contamination in human and robotic space exploration", specifies the job offer. The idea is that when we send a ship to another planet, for example to Mars, there may be stowaways. Very resistant bacteria and other micro-organisms.
They could then contaminate another world. It would be a disaster for scientists who obviously study these worlds. In addition, it would be almost illegal. The States undertook, when the Space Treaty was signed in 1967, to avoid such contamination at all costs. Thus, each space mission must have less than a chance in 10,000 to contaminate an alien world, says Business Insider.
It also works the other way. Several missions plan to bring samples back to Earth. And in some cases, it is not entirely impossible for contamination by a hypothetical biological, microscopic life, to take place. This is for example the case of Mars (as in the scenario of the film Life), or especially of the satellite Europe, whose characteristics would be relatively favorable for life.
The goal of the planetary protection officer is therefore to ensure that each space program takes this problem into account. However, Catharine Conley explains to Business Insider that her job is not that exciting: her classic week comes down to a lot of emails, studies and other reports to go through.
F I N .
NASA opens a post so that extraterrestrial life does not contaminate the Earth (and vice versa).
August 02, 2017.
By Grégory Rozières
"The planetary protection officer", who will earn up to $ 187,000 a year, will have to verify that no biological contamination affects a vessel.
WARNER BROS
Nasa opens a post so that extraterrestrial life does not contaminate the Earth (and vice versa)
ESPACE - In recent days, NASA has posted a somewhat special job offer. The American agency is looking for a "planetary protection officer". His role? Protect Earth from contamination by extraterrestrial life, reports Business Insider. And vice versa.
And all very well paid: up to 187,000 dollars per year. It must be said that there are only two people in the world who do this job full time. One for NASA, the other for ESA, the European space agency, even though many people in different agencies are working on these issues. Obviously, the CV that goes with it is particularly difficult. And you might as well shower your hopes right away: you must be an American citizen to apply until August 14.
Currently, it is Catharine Conley who occupies this position for the American agency, specifies Business Insider which interviewed her. The job offer was the result of a relocation of the position to a new Nasa department, but Catharine Conley did not want to specify if she applied to keep this job.
Respect the Space Treaty
But what exactly is it for, a planetary protection officer? To avoid "biological contamination in human and robotic space exploration", specifies the job offer. The idea is that when we send a ship to another planet, for example to Mars, there may be stowaways. Very resistant bacteria and other micro-organisms.
They could then contaminate another world. It would be a disaster for scientists who obviously study these worlds. In addition, it would be almost illegal. The States undertook, when the Space Treaty was signed in 1967, to avoid such contamination at all costs. Thus, each space mission must have less than a chance in 10,000 to contaminate an alien world, says Business Insider.
It also works the other way. Several missions plan to bring samples back to Earth. And in some cases, it is not entirely impossible for contamination by a hypothetical biological, microscopic life, to take place. This is for example the case of Mars (as in the scenario of the film Life), or especially of the satellite Europe, whose characteristics would be relatively favorable for life.
The goal of the planetary protection officer is therefore to ensure that each space program takes this problem into account. However, Catharine Conley explains to Business Insider that her job is not that exciting: her classic week comes down to a lot of emails, studies and other reports to go through.
F I N .
