Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Hall, L. B..
Requirements for planetary quarantine programs focus on microbial life forms as the primary contamination threat carried by spacecraft to a planet, or back to earth from another planet or outer space. Constraints on planetary flight missions and forthcoming Martian landings are depicted.
Planetary quarantine systems analysis for biological contamination of Mariner Mars 1971 space probe
Planetary quarantine including background, program evolution, sterilization technology and contamination sources
Planetary quarantine analysis for unmanned Mars orbiter, considering accidental spacecraft impact, loose particles and gases used for attitude control and pressurization
Microbial survival in deep space environment, contamination of planets by nonsterile flight hardware, and hazards of back contamination are among the topics covered in papers concerned with the analytical basis for planetary quarantine. The development of the technology and policies of planetary quarantine is covered in contributions on microbiologic assay and sterilization of space flight hardware and control of microbial contamination. A comprehensive subject index is included. Individual items are abstracted in this issue.
Discussion of some of the problems in microbiology and engineering involved in the implementation of planetary quarantine. It is shown that the solutions require new knowledge in both disciplines for success at low cost in terms of both monetary outlay and man's further exploration of the planets. A related problem exists in that engineers are not accustomed to the wide variation of biological data and microbiologists must learn to work and think in more exact terms. Those responsible for formulating or influencing national and international policies must walk a tightrope with delicate balance between unnecessarily stringent requirements for planetary quarantine on the one hand and prevention of contamination on the other. The success of planetary quarantine measures can be assured only by rigorous measures, each checked, rechecked, and triple-checked to make sure that no errors have been made and that no factor has been overlooked.
Potential effects of recent findings on spacecraft sterilization requirements
Spacecraft sterilization requirements, evaluating viable organisms release probability from spacecraft as function of equipment fracturing
Spacecraft sterilization techniques for space exploration, discussing mathematical models for planetary quarantine and contamination by nonlanding vehicles
Planetary quarantine constraints, noting prevention of Martian atmosphere contamination
Space probe sterilization procedures, considering heat and radiation
Aerospace technology for spacecraft sterilization
Objectives and technology of spacecraft sterilization
NASA requirements for decontamination and sterilization of planetary landing capsules
Spacecraft sterilization, discussing hardware development, reduction of biological loading, protection and internal and surface decontamination of lander