ECSS-Q-ST-70-58C, SPACE ENGINEERING: BIOBURDEN CONTROL OF CLEANROOMS (15-NOV-2008)

ECSS-Q-ST-70-58C, SPACE ENGINEERING: BIOBURDEN CONTROL OF CLEANROOMS (15-NOV-2008)., The UN Outer Space Treaty of 1967 sets up the general principles applicable to the exploration and use of outer space. Article IX of the Outer Space Treaty constitutes the primary statement of international law: “States parties shall pursue studies of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, and conduct exploration of them so as to avoid their harmful contamination and also adverse changes in the environment of the Earth resulting from the introduction of extraterrestrial matter and, when necessary, adopt appropriate measures for this purpose”. Harmful contamination in that sense is defined as biological contamination, including organic‐constituents, to protect the environment in order to allow future exobiology research. The Committee On Space Research (COSPAR) has established some planetary protection guidelines, based on the Outer Space Treaty. These guidelines impose requirements on spaceflight missions according to target body/mission type combinations. The objective of this Standard is to ensure that the proper procedures to control the microbiological contamination in controlled environments are in place to meet the planetary protection constraints.