Free Astronomy Magazine March-April 2019

4 ASTROBIOLOGY In the relatively near future, we will be able to colonize some exoplanets with elementary life forms. The opportunity to proceed in this direc- tion is linked to a number of factors that are not yet completely understood and that, for some aspects, raise ethical issues. However, the most basic problem remains − that of having an expe- rience that is limited to life only on Earth, a model that is not necessarily universal. The Genesis Pro and planetary p by Michele Ferrara revised by Damian G. Allis NASA Solar System Ambassador MARCH-APRIL 2019 T he exploration of other planets, their moons, and smaller bodies must respect a practice known as “planetary protection.” Any space agency that decides to land an automatic probe or crew on the surface of a celes- tial body other than the Earth is required to avoid biological contamination of the visited body, sterilizing all the mate- rial that comes into contact with the extraterrestrial envi-