OU to lead consortia to protect planet from alien bio-hazards and contamination

The Covid pandemic and recent bird flu epidemic mean that most of us have become familiar with the threats posed by bio-hazards.

But while the coronavirus and the Avian Influenza outbreaks originated on Earth, attention is now turning toward potential threats from further from home.

The fear of a biological threat originating in galaxies far, far away has long been a staple of science fiction.

From the infected astronaut returning back to earth in the Quatermass Experiment in the 1950s to John Hurt's unfortunate close encounter with a non-human lifeform in Alien it has become a familiar trope.

Now the Open University in Milton Keynes is leading a new consortium to develop protection protocols to deal with real-life threats from space.

• The original trailer for the 1955 movie version of the Quatermass Experiment.

Under the new Planetary Protection project, researchers want to ensure that scientific investigations of possible extra-terrestrial life forms - both potential evidence of new life or remains of extinct matter - are not put at risk during planetary space missions.

It also wants to ensure that Earth is protected from the potential hazards posed by extra-terrestrial matter carried by spacecraft returning from space.

The concept of planetary protection has received increased attention over recent years due to the emergence of new spacefaring countries and the growing involvement of commercial parties.

Issues of planetary contamination was first raised in the 1950s. They were eventually codified in the 1960's by the Committee on Space Research’s Panel on Planetary Protection (COSPAR).

It set out protocols to ensure that planets, specificially Mars, would not be "biologically contaminated" and that "adequate spacecraft sterilization techniques" be employed.

It wanted to to ensure that any search for life would not be compromised by contamination.

Now the OU is leading the UK consortium to update and modernise guidelines.

Professor Karen Olsson-Francis from the OU is leading the project with Professor Mark Sephton from Imperial College London and Professor Jonathan Carter from Coventry University. The project is funded by the UK Space Agency International Bilateral fund.

Professor Anu Ojha , Engagement, International and Inspiration Director at the UK Space Agency, said: “These are exciting times in space exploration, but as we see commercial opportunities increase and more exploration missions take off, it’s imperative that we act responsibly and continue to review our approach to protecting against biological and organic contamination – both of our own planet and of other worlds beyond our own."

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