Comments on: Rudy’s planetary protection policy http://www.spacepolitics.com/2007/10/15/rudys-planetary-protection-policy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rudys-planetary-protection-policy Because sometimes the most important orbit is the Beltway... Wed, 17 Sep 2014 13:35:41 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.38 By: anonymous.space http://www.spacepolitics.com/2007/10/15/rudys-planetary-protection-policy/#comment-24582 Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:06:50 +0000 http://www.spacepolitics.com/2007/10/15/rudys-planetary-protection-policy/#comment-24582 “At great expense, we’ve built a first-class laboratory in orbit — why not use it?”

A few reasons off the top of my head:

1) Some of the instruments we’d want to use on such samples to examine them at the atom-by-atom level are just too honkin big and/or power-hungry for ISS to accommodate.

2) Even if instrument size and power was not an issue, we’d have to go into such an endeavour with the understanding that we may be consigning the astronauts involved and all future ISS hardware from ever returning back to Earth.

3) And even if we’re okay with that possibility, the ISS will definitely come back down to Earth at some point. We might just be delaying back-contamination, not preventing it.

A few things to ponder… FWIW.

]]> By: Donald F. Robertson http://www.spacepolitics.com/2007/10/15/rudys-planetary-protection-policy/#comment-24344 Tue, 16 Oct 2007 17:52:23 +0000 http://www.spacepolitics.com/2007/10/15/rudys-planetary-protection-policy/#comment-24344 While I do not necessarily advocate a Mars sample return as a wise use of scientific money, the solution to back contamination is conceptually easy — deliver the sample to the Space Station. At great expense, we’ve built a first-class laboratory in orbit — why not use it?

— Donald

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.spacepolitics.com/2007/10/15/rudys-planetary-protection-policy/#comment-24340 Tue, 16 Oct 2007 16:40:14 +0000 http://www.spacepolitics.com/2007/10/15/rudys-planetary-protection-policy/#comment-24340 “one suspects that Rudy was having fun with the question.”

Sure he was smiling when he answered, and making light of the question/issue – but he’s basically repeating what he’s said 100 time before. Under his control, the Federal Government can protect “us” from “anything bad”. Whether it’s terrorists, or aliens, Giuliani runs on selling FUD. (fear, uncertainty, and doubt)

]]> By: D. Messier http://www.spacepolitics.com/2007/10/15/rudys-planetary-protection-policy/#comment-24303 Tue, 16 Oct 2007 02:58:22 +0000 http://www.spacepolitics.com/2007/10/15/rudys-planetary-protection-policy/#comment-24303 I think The Onion headline said it all: Rudy is running for president of 9-11.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.spacepolitics.com/2007/10/15/rudys-planetary-protection-policy/#comment-24299 Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:50:07 +0000 http://www.spacepolitics.com/2007/10/15/rudys-planetary-protection-policy/#comment-24299 The Cardassians hate our freedom.

]]> By: MarkWhittington http://www.spacepolitics.com/2007/10/15/rudys-planetary-protection-policy/#comment-24293 Mon, 15 Oct 2007 21:38:36 +0000 http://www.spacepolitics.com/2007/10/15/rudys-planetary-protection-policy/#comment-24293 For the humor impaired who might be tempted to post in outrage, one suspects that Rudy was having fun with the question.

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