Planetary protection is the practice of protecting Solar System bodies from contamination by Earth life and protecting Earth from possible contaminants that may be returned from other Solar System bodies.
Following months of collaborative work between academia, industry, the Civil Aviation Authority and government experts, the UK Space Agency published the Planetary Protection Technical Framework on 8 May providing clear guidance to ensure UK space activities safeguard the environment on Earth and in space from potential harmful contamination.
Planetary protection refers to the measures and protocols put in place to prevent contamination of celestial bodies by earth organisms and vice versa.
The UK Government is working with the sector and the UK’s independent space regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority, to pave the way for regulation of new types of commercial space activities, such as in-orbit servicing and Beyond Earth Orbit missions, ensuring a predictable and transparent regime that fosters innovation and growth.
This work is aligned with the recommendations of the 2024 Space Regulatory Review to promote innovation by providing clarity to regulators and the sector to de-risk development of UK capabilities in Earth orbit, lunar and beyond. It also aligns with the four aims of the recent Treasury paper “New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth”: supporting growth; targeted and proportionate; transparent and predictable; adapting to keep pace with innovation.
By issuing this guidance the UK Space Agency supports its aim to boost UK prosperity, understand the Universe, and protect our planet and outer space, ensuring space exploration activities avoid harming potential extraterrestrial ecosystems and safeguarding Earth's biosphere.
The Technical Framework provides clarity to operators and regulators on how to meet our planetary protection obligations and should be used in conjunction with existing legislation by any entity seeking an operator licence for space activities for all missions that involve interactions with celestial bodies in our Solar System.
Mission planners should engage the UK space regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority, to understand the application of the framework to their proposed activities.
The need for planetary protection
The rise in space activities from the UK brings with it an increase in the number of planetary protection risks including hindering scientific investigations, such as the search for extraterrestrial life and the potential damage to planetary bodies and Earth.
The search for extraterrestrial life is something that has captured the imagination of humans for a millennium.
If life beyond our planet is found it is critical that we have confidence that it did not come from Earth. This is where the fundamental idea of planetary protection is applied to space exploration missions where biological and organic material might be introduced.
Within planetary protection there are two main processes. These are forward contamination, whereby a spacecraft travelling to another celestial body carries unwanted contamination which could pose a risk to its destination, and backward contamination, where materials are brought back to Earth that could have an impact on our environment.
This Technical Framework was informed by the UK Space Agency commissioned study entitled “A UK Framework for Planetary Protection: A Lunar Case Study” (Olsson-Francis, 2022).
This study contained several recommendations informed by policy established by the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) including the formation of a world first Planetary Protection Advisory Panel.
The UK Planetary Protection Advisory Panel consists of representatives from the UK Space Agency and the Civil Aviation Authority and experts from academia and industry.
The UK Planetary Protection Advisory Panel may provide advice to the Civil Aviation Authority as appropriate, including planetary protection categorisation and requirements for missions based on applicants’ self-assessment.
Following the publication of the Technical Framework the panel now meets to discuss upcoming Beyond Earth Orbit and lunar matters such as future UK led missions.
The group will look at several aspects of planetary protection on the horizon as access to space by the private sector increases, crewed missions to the Moon and Mars come closer and as the UK establishes itself as a key partner in international space endeavours.
Comments or questions on the Planetary Protection Technical Framework? Please contact SpaceflightRegulation@ukspaceagency.gov.uk
Questions regarding planned missions? Please contact commercialspaceflight@caa.co.uk
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