The purpose of the workshop was to reevaluate the existing guidelines for the probability of growth of terrestrial organisms on Mars that were established by the National Academy of Sciences following the Viking Mission.

Discusses planetary protection issues for the Russian Mars '94 mission, as well as for future Mars lander missions including the planned Mars '96 and U.S. MESUR Pathfinder and Network missions. The topics summarized include exobiology science objectives for Mars exploration, current international policy on planetary protection, planetary protection requirements developed for earlier missions, mission plans and designs for future U.S. and Russian Mars landers, biological contamination of spacecraft components, and techniques for spacecraft bioload reduction. In addition, the recent recommendations of the U.S. Space Studies Board (SSB) were also summarized. One additional topic briefly considered was the identification of some issues related to planetary protection considerations for Mars sample return missions.

Recent spacecraft and robotic probes to Mars have yielded data that are changing our understanding significantly about the possibility of existing or past life on that planet. Coupled with advances in biology and life-detection techniques, these developments place increasing importance on the need to protect Mars from contamination by Earth-borne organisms. To help with this effort, NASA requested that the NRC examine existing planetary protection measures for Mars and recommend changes and further research to improve such measures. This report discusses policies, requirements, and techniques to protect Mars from organisms originating on Earth that could interfere with scientific investigations. It provides recommendations on cleanliness and biological burden levels of Mars-bound spacecraft, methods to reach those levels, and research to reduce uncertainties in preventing forward contamination of Mars.

Lists citations with abstracts for aerospace related reports obtained from world wide sources and announces documents that have recently been entered into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information Database.

OF PLANNED FUTURE MISSIONS: Approved Missions -- Contemplated Missions -- SURFACE ENVIRONMENT OF MARS: Surface chemistry -- Ultraviolet and ionizing radiation -- Temperature -- Water -- Volcanism -- Former climatic conditions on Mars -- LIMITS OF LIFE OF EARTH: EXPANSION OF THE MICROBIAL WORLD AND DETECTION OF LIFE: Extreme thermophiles and volcanic environments -- Life in extreme environments -- Life detection for Planetary protection (including bioburden determination) -- ASSESSMENT OF THE 1978 REPORT.