Enclosure 

NASA Advisory Council Recommendation 

Environmental Impacts in Extraterrestrial Missions 

2022-02-09

Name of Committee: Science Committee 

Chair of Committee: Dr. Ellen Williams 

Date of Council Public Deliberation: August 10, 2022 

Short Title of Recommendation: Environmental Impacts in 

Extraterrestrial Missions

Recommendation: 

The Council recommends that: 

 In addition to biological and chemical contamination, the Science Mission Directorate 

(SMD) consider and document other environmental impacts at extraterrestrial environments 

that could affect future science activities including, but not limited to, discarded or waste 

materials, electromagnetic spectrum pollution, and impacts such as formation of long-lasting 

dust clouds. 

 SMD determine a lead entity responsible for considering strategies for mitigation of nonbiological impacts on extraterrestrial environments while ensuring that potential mitigation 

strategies consider current and future science needs. To the extent possible, this should be an 

international discussion. 

Major Reasons for the Recommendation: 

NASA’s Planetary Protection effort continues to evolve and integrate issues of biological and 

chemical contaminants into operational planning for new missions. 

Consequences of No Action on the Recommendation: 

The standard focus within the science community of mitigating the possibility of biological or 

chemical contamination fails to address the continuing awareness of other possible pollutants 

such as electromagnetic spectrum pollution. Failure to address this recognition could jeopardize 

the success of future science missions. 

NASA Response: 

NASA concurs with the first part of the recommendation, that SMD consider and document 

other environmental impacts at extraterrestrial environments that could affect future science 

activities. NASA’s Planetary Protection requirements establish the thresholds for bioburden on 

outbound spacecraft and require an inventory of potential contaminants. Additionally, the 

probability of biological contamination is determined for missions where the target has a 

categorization level that is required. The NASA Planetary Protection policy governing lunar 

missions also protects sites of historical relevance from biological and chemical contamination. 
2 

In Earth orbit, untracked millimeter-sized orbital debris presents the highest mission-ending risk 

to spacecraft. NASA is working to reduce uncertainties in debris modeling as the first step in 

supporting the development and implementation of cost-effective, protective measures for safe 

operations of future missions. NASA also developed a best practices handbook, in coordination 

with the Departments of Defense and Commerce, to mitigate collisions in orbit to avoid the loss 

of spacecraft and the creation of additional orbital debris. This handbook is publicly available 

and is used domestically and internationally. SMD is engaging with industry on potential 

mitigation strategies for minimizing interference impacts from large satellite fleets such as field 

of view obstructions, optical interference, optical damage due to lasers, communications/radio 

frequency interference, potential loss of data, increases in conjunctions, and cost increases 

prohibiting the operation of NASA missions in specific orbits. 

NASA concurs with the second part of the recommendation, in that NASA SMD is the lead 

entity responsible for considering strategies for mitigation of non-biological impacts on 

extraterrestrial environments while ensuring that potential mitigation strategies consider current 

and future science needs. Within NASA, SMD engages with the Offices of the Chief Engineer, 

Safety and Mission Assurance, Chief Scientist, International and Interagency Relations, and 

other relevant offices as needed to ensure that SMD activities in extraterrestrial environments 

mitigate potential impacts to current and future science needs. NASA also engages regularly 

with other U.S. Government agencies, international partners, and commercial and academic 

experts on issues involving mitigation of harmful impacts to extraterrestrial locations. To the 

extent possible, and consistent with NASA practice to date, Agency discussions on mitigation of 

non-biological impacts on extraterrestrial environments are held with international partners and 

addressed in subsequent agreements between the parties.