WESTEX 5-D February 29, 1960
AIMS OF BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN SPACE EXPLORATION

One of the principal aims of space exploration is to secure detailed
scientific knowledge of the other planets of the solar system, for comparison
with the physics, chemistry, and natural history of the earth. This knowledge
is expected to give us new Insights Into the origin and evolution of the
physical universe, and of the chemical phenomena that constitute life. This
extension of earth-bound science already suffices to justify the cost and effort
that are entailed by space exploration; we have no doubt that the economic costs
witl also be amply repaid [n the long run by technological applications of space
sclence, in the same fashlon as has always been true of pure science in other
flelds.

The capability of space vehicles has, until now, been the main limiting
factor in the acquisition of new knowledge of the planets; however, the
possibilities of telescopic studies from the earth, and from earth-based
balloons have by no means been exhausted. Further, the development of telescopes
mounted an satellite platforms in orbit above the earth's atmosphere should be
very fruitful of new data on planetary chemistry. As we consider the prospects
of direct communication with the planets by long range spacecraft, however, new
issues present themselves, issues of cautionary wisdom as well as capability.
These are of particular concern to biology, having to do with the unique capacity
of living organisms, especially microorganisms, to proliferate rapidly and occupy
new habitats. Our judgment as to the wisdom of direct communication must follow
a careful assessment of the consequences of (1) the implications of terrestrial
organisms on a planetary habitat, and (2) the converse, the "back contamination!
of the earth by planetary organisms carried by a returning spacecraft.

Within the foreseeable future, the cost of sending an experimental device
through space and receiving informatien from it will be many times that of using
comparable analytical Instruments in the laboratory. For many other reasons,
the retrieval of samples of the planets would ultimately be the most Informative
means for the advancement of planetary science. This self-evident design has
been and should continue to be foremost in the long range planning for the
scientific utilization of spacecraft with the requisite capabilities. However,
such missions also introduce the risk of back-contamination, a risk that cannot
be decisively evaluated within the framework of our present knowledge of planetary
biology. The same missions, as well as the one-way probes that will precede them,
also entail the possibility of contaminating the targets; however, these missions
can be programmed so as to minimize the carriage of ''samples'' of the earth, and
to disinfect the spacecraft by methods of knomefficacy for terrestrial organisms.
Furthermore, as a matter of policy, acceptable risk figures for contaminating a
planetary target must be substartially higher than for bringing trouble home.

From this standpoint, it may be fortunate that the vehicles for one-way
missions will (as Is obvious) become avallable first. We must make every effort
to develop experiments that can be flown on such missions and give telemetered
information on planetary life and life-habitats. Reassurances from such
experiments as to the character of planetary life, and the indicated means to
cope with its possible implantation on the earth, may make it possible to relax
an implicit embargo on the re-admission of planetary spacecraft. Alternatively,
they may move us to a more vehement policy of exclusion until we can be sure that
the welfare of the human species is secure from one of the few kinds of threat
fully within our capacity to avert.